A Stitch In Time
by MistressZero
Summary: Kade and Bucky are going through the motions of being part time Avengers and full time parents. But a dark cloud looms on the horizon in Kade's mind, and the fears of a coming war...soon become reality.
1. Chapter One: It's Time

_Well I wasn't exactly planning on making this a trilogy, but I had this idea for a plot kinda smack me in the face so I started messing with it an such. Now while the plot itself it still in development, I decided to push out a prologue and see how it handled with you guys. If you like it, or you think it has promise, let me know and I will mush on into final production. If you don't like it...well flames aren't really necessary, a simple bugger off will do. HAHA._

 _So here it is, the potential third (and hopefully the last) installment of Enemy of my Enemy._

 _*Enjoy*_

 **A Stitch In Time**

The jeep came roaring up the hill, the driver slinging it to the curb and bringing the vehicle to an abrupt stop before killing the engine. He pulled himself up on the overhead rails, using them to sling his body to the left; a pair of old dog-tags ringing out briefly with a metallic clang. His boots hit the asphalt softly, and he stepped cautiously around the front of the truck, resting a gloved hand on the corner of the hood as he looked up at the house.

He knew she'd come here, it still had sentimental value, even though the back half had been blown apart years ago by a stray missile; he was only thankful that they hadn't been inside when it happened. That house wasn't the only one in that present condition, in fact it was one of the few in the neighborhood that was still standing…even if only held together with a few scant sticks.

Intense blue eyes fell to the partially open door, another sign that she was here. There wasn't another soul for miles crazy enough to come out in the open so close to sunset…and a half torn down house wasn't the best of hiding places. Faint echoes of explosions rang off in the distance, and his hand went for the gun strapped to his belt, glancing back at the warzone below. Smoke plumes billowed from new fires and the cityscape was black with the remnants of old ones. What remained of a forest of skyscrapers threatened to crumble to the ground with a decent bit of wind; a rusted over **A** still glinted from the rubble if the sun hit it just right…the only thing left from Stark tower.

He let out a sharp exhale and strode toward the front door, his hand never leaving the weapon, albeit one of several he had strapped to his body; a habit he picked up from his father. The recollection forced a brief smile at the corner of his mouth as he slowly stepped inside the house. Creaks and groans echoed out from underneath his feet, rocketing up the walls and over the ceiling above; as if threatening to come down on top of him at any second.

Taking a deep breath, he continued forward, heading down the hallway just right of the stairs that led to the second story; that led to their old rooms. The doorway to his right led to the only room left downstairs that hadn't been blown apart, and as he turned into it he held back a quiver of sickening rage. Even with the layer of aged dust he could see the powder blue of the paint on the walls, and the crib pushed far into the corner; cobwebs strung up between the wooden bars. The room was starved of anything else, and that was because she wanted it simple…she never told them why.

He swallowed hard, forcing himself to relax the fist he formed before he did something he'd likely regret, turning his gaze down to the young woman seated next to the door, her legs curled up to her chest with her arms wrapped around them; her head resting on her knees.

"Come on Connie…we gotta go" he stated calmly.

She was silent for a moment, slowly lifting her head until the back of it thumped softly against the door frame. He felt his stomach twist in knots, seeing the streaks of past tears down both sides of her face, causing strands of dirty blonde hair to stick to her cheeks; but it was her eyes that forced a sharp bout of pain in his gut…one brown, one blue, still swollen and bloodshot from crying…she was the spitting image of their mother as much as he was of their father.

"I know what you're gonna do" she rasped, her lip quivering as she spoke.

"I know you do, we planned it out remember" he sighed, kneeling down.

"That doesn't make it right"

"Yes it does. He's a monster, and he deserves to die"

"He's gonna be a child"

"And that makes it right!?" he snapped, clearly starting to lose his cool.

She whimpered softly, visibly trying to hold back tears. He lowered his head, running his hands through his short brown hair before glancing up at her again. She was still just a child herself at twenty-two, it could be seen in the faded and ripped blue jeans, her worn pair of converse high tops, the faded grey NIN t-shirt and the equally as worn jean jacket; her hair pulled back in a messy ponytail.

He looked as if he had crawled out of a war-zone, donning a pair of worn cargo pants, construction boots and a thin white t-shirt, covered by the heavy leather jacket his father used to wear. He was eight years her senior...he was responsible for her.

"Look…this is our life…nothing we do can change it, but you can be damn sure I'm gonna do what I can to make sure they don't suffer the same fate"

Her breath hitched and she opened her mouth to speak.

"I want to save mom" she sobbed.

"I know you do, so do I…but that capsule isn't powerful enough to pull it from her…and we still don't know if you can go that far back…it might kill you"

A heavy sob wracked her body, and he saw another tear fall down the same trail as others did before.

"Hey, come on now, chin up…I can't do this without you Connie" he warned, gently taking her chin in his gloved hand; forcing her to look at him.

"That's because I'm the only one in a hundred miles who can jump"

"You know better than that. I mean it…I need you with me"

He pulled her into his chest before she had a chance to argue, and he felt another heavy sob wrack her body as she wrapped her arms around him. Either she was trying hard not to break down crying again…or she was too exhausted to do so. The faint echo of an explosion teased at their ears, and he felt her grip on him tighten ever so slightly.

"We need to get back…sun's getting low" he warned softly.

As he stood, he had to practically pull her with him, and he prayed she recoup enough strength on the ride back to make the jump.

* * *

He strode into the side entrance of the abandoned nuclear plant, waiting for the young girl to walk past him before he stepped over to a keypad mounted on the wall next to the door, entering in a series of keys and stepping back as a solid iron door slid down; barring the entrance. He turned back to follow her toward the open floor of the plant, taking in the sight of the machine in the center; a tube shaped piece of metal sticking out from the floor.

"You made it back!" a man exclaimed, walking up to them with a rather relieved look on his face.

He was middle aged, pale blue eyes and the blonde curly hair he had in his youth had since faded into a dull tone; faint streaks of silver painted near his temples. The girl walked by him without saying a word, leaving him puzzled and he glanced back and forth between her and the younger male.

"Is she okay?" he asked.

"She'll be fine, just needed a bit of a pep talk" he replied, heading toward the opposite end of the machine while the older man followed.

"I hope you're right…" he sighed.

"…Stark, where are we now?" he called, turning his head to where the girl had wandered.

"Capacitor is at 85%, we are nearly there!" a young man called back, turning to accept the girl in open arms as she practically melted into his chest.

"I don't wanna go" she mumbled into his shirt.

"I know you don't…" he laughed.

"…but you have to make sure that this doesn't happen to them" he finished, caressing her back.

* * *

"You press the activator button here on the side, and that will open up the core…the device will do the rest of the work" the older man instructed, gesturing his thump to a small indention on the otherwise smooth metal surface of a softball sized device.

"How close do I need to be?" the younger man asked.

"At least a foot or two away I'd guess…but just be ready for the screaming that will follow…this thing will rip the stone out and it won't be gentle about it"

"I'm fine with that"

"Providing this works, he'll only be an infant when we get there"

"I don't care what he'll be…he killed my parents, he brought this hell on us…the more pain he endures, the better" the young man warned, taking the device from the elder and stuffing it into a knapsack.

"Now just remember, we have to keep our distance. If our cover gets blown, it's gonna make things really difficult"

"I understand"

A heavy silence fell between the two, clouded only by the low hum of the electrical reactor below their feet.

"You mom would have been proud of you…her and your dad both" the older man stated, his voice almost raspy.

"I know Uncle Simon…you say that every chance you get" the younger man laughed, twisting the cap off from a bottle of water.

"I know, but I mean it"

* * *

"It's time to go babe…make sure to find me when you get there" Stark remarked, smiling down as the girl looked up at him.

"You'll be fourteen" she groaned.

"You can wait four more years I'm sure" he laughed.

She gave him a soured look as he bent down enough to press his lips to hers in a claiming kiss; forcing a pitiful whine from her throat. Just as quickly as he did it, he pulled away leaning over to check one of the computer screens on the instrument panel behind him.

"92% people, time to take your stations" he called.

The young girl was reluctant to leave as he gave her a gentle push toward the platform, taking a steadying breath as he did. Her male companion slowly approached him, garnering a warm smile.

"If it weren't for the end of the world, you wouldn't stand a chance with her dude" he teased.

"Yea well, what can I say? I am a man of opportunity" Stark laughed, nervously running a hand through his thick dark hair.

"How's it looking?"

"Once the capacitor activates, the sentinels will be on this place like nails on a magnet"

"What about the shields? That should buy you guys some time right?"

"There's not enough juice in the reserve cells to power both, and even if there was, the capacitor is gonna drain it fast…there's not gonna be enough power to get the shields up" Stark replied solemnly.

The other man hitched his breath like he suddenly had trouble breathing.

"Son of a-"

"Hey, we knew the risks…we knew what we were getting into…"

Stark let loose a heavy sigh, staring back at his counterpart; trying to hold back tears.

"…this is our last shot…you better make it count brother" he finished, offering his hand.

The young man took Stark's hand firmly.

"You bet your ass I will" he stated, yanking Stark into a tight hug.

"Gonna miss you JB" Stark whispered, his voice strained.

"You too Howie"

They pulled away, crossing glances briefly before separating, Stark turning toward the control panel and the man called JB heading up to the platform where Connie and Simon stood waiting.

"Capacitor at max load, get ready folks…priming and ready for countdown" Stark advised.

As the three on the platform took their places around the metal conduit in the middle, a set of shrill beeps suddenly had everyone's attention on the opposite end of the control panel; all of them equally on edge.

"Alice?" Howie snipped in question.

"Two sentinels, just entered the containment zone, ten miles out and closing" she responded, the panic clear in her voice.

"Looks like we're skipping the countdown, JB get her ready, I'm priming the last cell.

"What, now!?" Connie squeaked, glancing back at Stark.

JB's hand came down on her shoulder, forcing her attention back to him.

"You're alright Connie, you can do this, just like you practiced" he advised.

"We're primed, ready when you are" Stark called.

"Just breathe Connie, focus on where you need to go" Simon stated, placing his hand on her shoulder.

"Five miles" Alice warned.

"Come on Connie" JB urged.

"You're rushing me, I can't focus when I'm being rushed" she hissed.

"Two miles out"

"Connie!" Stark spat.

"Do it!"

Howie slammed his fist down on the button and the reactor core beneath them roared to life, as a bright white bolt shot out from the metal tube on the platform; practically slamming into Connie's chest. Stark heard the yelp of pain that passed her lips briefly before the loud roar of the reactor was all he could hear. The room was suddenly enveloped in a blinding white light, forcing him and Alice to shield their eyes. Just as suddenly as it happened, the room went dark, and the roar slowly died to silence; leaving the two stumbling in the dark.

"Power cores are shot" Alice remarked.

"That was the idea" Howie stated, fumbling around for the drawer where he kept his flashlight.

He flipped the switch on the side and surveyed the room, seeing a fine smoky mist covering the entirety of the room. The dim light fell to the platform in the center, where the smoke seemed to be the thickest; not a trace of the three to be seen.

"They did it…they actually fucking did it!" Howie exclaimed, taking Alice under his arm as she stumbled toward him.

The two didn't have time to celebrate before something came crashing into the side of the room, creating a mass of twisted metal and broken concrete; the eerie pale face of a sentinel staring back at them with beady red eyes. It raised it arm toward them, the mechanics on its wrist coming to life and forming a hand sized blast cannon.

"Look away Alice!" Howie stated calmly, turning his body toward her, forcing their backs to the sentinel.

* * *

The explosion that erupted from district ten could be seen for miles, signifying that the last of the dormant nuclear cores had been detonated. Not a word was whispered that two more humans died that night…and three more just went missing.


	2. Chapter Two: Just Another Day

_**Hang on to your shorts folks, I'm taking these characters for one more spin!**_

 _**Just so you know, I'm working on my own novel at the same time, so I make no promises with the timing of updates**_

 _**Enjoy!**_

 **DISCLAIMER:** I do not own any of the characters or organizations that may appear or be mentioned in this story, including but not limited to: Winter Soldier/Bucky Barnes, Captain America/Steve Rogers, Black Widow/Natasha Romanoff, Vision, Scarlet Witch/Wanda Maximoff, Nick Fury, Falcon/Sam Wilson, Hawkeye/Clint Barton, Iron Man/Tony Stark, Pepper Potts, Happy, Hulk/Bruce Banner, Thor, Loki, HYDRA or S.H.I.E.L.D.

All other characters however are mine.

Warning: Rating is M for safety.

 **Chapter Two: Just Another Day**

"Kade, target is on the move, black Nissan" Natasha warned.

"In pursuit, standby!"

Her pace increased as she raced along the rooftop, her black tactical attire making it more than easy to blend into the shadows of the night. She pushed herself from the ledge as she approached it, landing gracefully on the next roof and taking off again, trying to keep the black car in sight as it raced down the street below, clipping several vendor carts along the way as bystanders scrambled to get out of the way. She swore under her breath as it took a sudden left turn into a darkened alleyway, forcing her to push her pace even further to get enough momentum.

A familiar surge of energy coursed through her veins and she turned sharp at the corner of the ledge, vaulting herself from the roof. Even in their panicked state, none of the civilians in the street below noticed the woman soaring above them. She braced herself as she neared her destination, coming down hard and forcing herself into a tumble to keep from breaking her legs.

"Shit!" she spat, sounding partially winded.

"What, you don't have them yet?" Natasha mocked over the communication unit.

"You're welcome to come try it yourself, running down a car on foot isn't as easy as it looks" Kade grumbled.

"Well I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you're running out of time. Bogey just went into the hot zone…hostile markers…it's Korean"

"How much time?"

"Two minutes if you're lucky, looks like it's after the car. They take him out we'll never find Huang before he sells off the intel"

"I'm open to suggestions"

"Perhaps I can be of assistance"

Vision's voice on the comm took them both by surprise, causing only a moment of dead air before Kade processed a plan.

"You can actually, get me a visual on the car's location, and get it fast, I'm working against the clock here"

There was another moment of silence before she felt his presence seep into her mind, a trick that was easier than expected for her to adapt to. Vision said it was the link between the stones they possessed that made it easy for them to do, but to her, it was the most convenient ability she had in times like this.

She felt her power surge through her veins like an electric current, teasing at her nerves, her muscles tingling with anticipation; like her own form of an adrenaline high. The rooftop around her faded out of view, and her new surroundings appeared like a haze around her, giving her the sight he saw; a lone intersection…and the car peeling around the corner toward her.

"Thank you" she breathed, as a bright blue light enveloped around her.

For her, it was brief, as if she blinked and suddenly the hazing image that Vision saw was now her new surroundings. Kade glanced around, quickly taking a mental sigh of relief to find this particular street void of any bystanders; even the shops looked abandoned. Tires squealing behind her brought her attention to the side street that the black car came bursting out of, the driver nearly losing control of the vehicle before he straightened out and began speeding toward her.

Kade lulled her head from side to side and rolled her shoulders as she turned to face the oncoming car, bearing a mocking grin, her eyes glowing a bright blue. Her senses were suddenly on overload, and it was as if she could pick up on the fear that surfaced in the driver when she just stood there, unmoving.

She heard the slightest shift of power in the engine, signaling that he had let off the gas; but when he was just a few feet away, it didn't matter. The front end of the car came to stop before the rest of it did, and the force of the speed crushed the back end forward, compacting the engine in a matter of seconds before the rear end had nowhere to go but up and over; dragging the rest of the vehicle with it.

It took no effort at all to take hold of the car, spiraling it end over end over top of her until she felt it cleared enough space, turning her body with the direction of the car and letting it slam back down on the pavement, wheels first. The side windows shattered the moment rubber met road, spraying glass in either direction, cracks spider-webbing across the windshield and rear window. She heard the distinctive metallic snap when the shocks gave way against the force of the landing, the metal chassis groaning against the sudden shift in form.

Kadence cocked her head back slightly, picking up on the distinct sound of an approaching aircraft. Swearing under her breath she thrust her arm across, tearing the driver's door right off the side and sending it flying into the front of one of the buildings. She disappeared into a swirl of blue smoke, reappearing beside the car, looking down on the driver; who seemed in hysterics trying to free himself from the jammed seatbelt.

She grabbed hold of his shoulder, enveloping both of them in a bright blue light, leaving nothing behind but a trail of blue smoke. They reappeared atop a nearby roof and she released him, letting him fall to his rear, still in hysterics as he tried to shuffle backward, as if trying to flee from a dangerous monster. Her attention was drawn to the distinct whistle of a rapidly approaching missile, and she had just enough time to raise her hand behind her, bringing up an unseen barrier as the explosion rang out, blowing in shop windows, enveloping the Nissan in an inferno, sending pieces of debris in all directions; some of it bouncing off of her barrier.

As the sound of the aircraft faded into the night, Kade lowered her barrier, her eyes fading back to normal as closed in on her prey. He looked to be in his late twenties, dark hair and light skin tone, bearing common oriental features. The initial fear he carried seemed to leave him as she approached, grinning confidently but still trying to scoot away, spitting out words in his native tongue; words she could understand clearly…and speak just as fluently.

"Do what you want American, I'll never tell you where he is!" he threatened.

"Yes you will" she growled.

"Torture won't work, I'll bite off my own tongue before you'll get anything out of me!"

She let out an amused laugh, reaching down for him too quick for him to fight off, grabbing him by the shirt collar and lifting him to his feet with ease. He struggled for a moment as she brought her other hand up, gripping the side of his face; her thumb pressed into the center of his forehead.

"You misunderstand…I don't need you to speak to get what I need" she smirked.

Her eyes glowed a bright blue, and a look of pure horror filled the dark orbs in his before they too went blue. It took seconds before the images in his head went flooding into her own, rushing past like lines on the highway. Places, faces, entire conversations, sifting through them as if she were rummaging through the database of his brain; at least that's what it felt like to her.

It didn't take long for her to finally find what she was looking for, what he was so desperate to keep secret; what the enemy was ready to kill him for. The blue in her eyes faded, and she pulled her hand away, slowly easing him back to the ground. He was bordering on unconsciousness, his head lulled back, eyes rolling up into his eyelids, groaning pitifully while his arms shifted listlessly like dying snakes, trying for purchase of anything. Kade pitied him briefly, well aware that normal humans had some difficulty enduring her ability to invade every part of their mind.

"Vision, I've got Huang's location, standby for correspondence" she stated.

Her eyes were covered over in bright blue light, and she stood un-moving, seeming to stare off into the distance for several moments before Vision's voice came over the comm.

"Affirmative, converging now" he remarked flatly; his response allowing her eyes to shift back to normal.

"What's the status of the target?" Natasha asked.

"Alive"

"Good. Closing in on your signal now, I know the Chinese Government will rest a little easier knowing he's in custody"

Kade looked down at him, watching him attempt to roll over to his side, still groggy and unable to form even the most basic of words.

"Not like he's gonna put up much of a fight, I think he's still waiting for the world to stop spinning" Kade laughed.

* * *

"Huang is in custody" Vision stated over the communication unit, coming out through the speakers of the quin jet.

"And the intel?" Kade asked, not taking her eyes off the navigation monitor, Natasha coming up behind her.

"Safe and secure. The Chinese Government extends their gratitude" Vision answered.

"Yea, I'm sure the prime minister is beyond grateful that his military intel wasn't sold to the Korean's by his own advisor" Natasha remarked, resting her hand on the back of the pilot's seat.

"Just another day on the job" Kade chuckled.

"Very well, I shall return to headquarters, unless you have further need of my assistance?" Vision asked.

"I think we can manage from here, thanks again for the assist" Kade replied.

"We're headed home ourselves, ETA about six hours…keep the lights on for us" Natasha stated.

"Affirmative"

With that, the comm when silent, and Kade went to work programming their destination into the quin jet's computer; activating stealth mode while she was at it.

"So has Jamie picked a sport yet?" Natasha asked casually.

"He's contemplated several, went out for none" Kade answered.

"None?"

"Yea, his excuse being that tryouts and practice would interfere too much with his band rehearsal"

"Heard you had him tested again"

"He's still negative for the gene…his bloodwork however tells a different story"

"What kind of story?"

"His isotopes and cell counts are almost an identical makeup to both Steve and Bucky"

Natasha was silent for a moment, processing what Kade was implying.

"A natural born super soldier" Romanoff sighed.

"Everything HYDRA and the US government tried to accomplish only without the needles and genetic experimentation" Kade mocked.

"So that's why he won't go for sports" Natasha chuckled.

"He thinks it's cheating to have that kind of an advantage…god he won't even go out for track"

"Have you seen Steve run?"

Kadence went silent this time, raising an eye brow as she contemplated.

"I've seen Bucky run…so yea I can see how that would be considered cheating…eh, I'm not gonna push it, no need in drawing that kind of attention to himself just yet, besides he's happy playing guitar, and that's what I want for him. Who knows, maybe one day he'll be a big rock star, and I won't have to worry about it" Kade laughed.

"So you'll just stop being an Avenger then?" Natasha asked, pursing her lips in an amused smirk.

"It's crossed my mind" Kade replied casually.

Silence filled the cockpit, and it was like Kade could feel the disappointment flowing from Romanoff's shoulders.

"Oh come on Nat, you've had to at least considered what you're going to do with your life when we can't do this anymore"

"I've thought about it…but I don't really have a lot of options…given the circumstance"

Kade bit down on her lip, feeling a pang of guilt bounce around in her ribs.

"You do know, that with all the medical breakthrough's they've done in the past several years, I'd bet money that there is a surgery out there that can fix that"

"Possibly, but who says I want one?" Nat questioned.

Kade let out a humored snort through her nose.

"I've seen how you are around Clint's kids, and around mine…it's not hard to read between the lines"

"Well maybe I'm just living vicariously through them…speaking of which, how's the little rugrat?"

"Growing like a damn weed, and she's in a ballet phase, even going to classes now. She wears that tutu everywhere, I swear to god she hasn't taken it off since we bought it"

"Ballet is a good practice, it builds coordination and balance" Natasha advised.

"Well if she's any daughter of mine, she'll need all the help she can get, lord knows I grew up clumsy" Kade stated, flipping an overhead switch to fully engage the auto pilot.

Natasha laughed softly as a soft beeping came from the communication module, the transmission details pulling up on one of the panel screens.

"Please don't tell me that's another missive detail" Natasha groaned.

"Nope, it's an inbound call...from home" Kade sighed.

"Go answer it, I can take the seat"

"…It's on autopilot Nat"

"Get out and go talk to your kids" Natasha snipped, mocking a hostile tone.

Kadence laughed and unbuckled the harness, slipping out from the pilot seat and heading toward the rear of the cockpit, taking a secondary seat and pulling one of the communication modules down, tapping the screen to transfer the call. The screen went black for a brief moment before the picture came up. She recognized the teenager instantly, and there was no way for her to contain the smile that crept up into the corner of her mouth. Even with the lower half of his head shaved, the top still long enough to reach his ears when parted; he still had his father's bearings. From the looks of it, he had the tablet; the view behind him showing that he was parked on the living room couch.

"Hey mom, can you hear me?" he asked, his voice edged with the oncoming of puberty.

"Loud and clear trooper" she replied.

"Really?...trooper?"

"What?"

"Mom, I grew out of that nickname when I was ten"

"Well I could always use the one before that"

"…Trooper is just fine"

"I thought so, why aren't you in bed?"

"Uh, it's only six here"

"…Of course it is…gotta love time zones, what's the stitch?"

"Okay, so…you remember Benji right?"

"The drummer, yea"

"Well, his family is going down to Virginia this weekend to Kings Dominion, and he wants to know if I can come"

"Have you talked to your father about it?"

"Yes" Jamie answered quickly.

Kade raised an eye brow at him questionably, seeing as he quickly averted eye contact the moment he answered.

"…No" he corrected shamefully.

"Well then you know what happens next" she quipped, tossing her eye brows.

"Oh come on mom, just this once"

"You know the rules, no decision is made-"

"Without both parties present, I get it, DAD! MOM WANTS TO TALK TO YOU!" Jamie shouted, leaning his head back on the couch.

Kade flinched against the sudden abuse on the volume, pretending to check her ear for stability.

"Could you yell a little louder, I don't think they heard you on mars" she mocked.

"Real funny mom" Jamie grumbled.

She shrugged him off, laughing softly as she heard approaching footsteps, and then his voice coming in from nearby.

"I don't mind that you wanna talk to your mom, but I still see trash that should have been taken out an hour ago" Bucky stated.

"Really Jamie?" Kade warned.

Jamie sighed heavily, and the image got shaken as he apparently handed the tablet to Bucky.

"Thanks dad…nice hair by the way" he grumbled, heading off into the kitchen.

It took a moment before the image was straightened out, and the camera was pointed at her husband, who had taken Jamie's previous seat. A warm smile caressed her features, and it was returned equally; but she kept quiet when she noticed his usual tied back hairstyle was decorated with various frilly hair pins.

"Hey babe, how's China?" he asked.

"Exhausting, though the food here isn't half bad…when you have time to eat it anyway" Kade laughed.

"I hear ya. Everything alright?"

"Everything's fine, it was just brought to my attention that Jamie wanted to go to Virginia this weekend with a friend and his family, what's your vote?"

"That's a negatory"

"Uh-oh, what'd he do?"

"Well for starters, he brought home an F on a history test last week"

"I thought he said he studied for that" Kade grumbled.

"I thought he did too…and secondly, his teacher called today, saying he and two other boys, one of them being Stark's, skipped class yesterday to sneak off to a robotics convention" Bucky finished, sounding less than amused.

"No it is, you want to tell him or should I?" she asked.

"I think I can handle a fourteen year old"

"If you say so…" Kade laughed, finding it harder to conceal the humor in his hairstyle.

"…how's Constance?"

Bucky let out a heavy sigh, raising his eyebrows as if to establish some form of dignity.

"The princess is patiently awaiting the return of her noble king…for tea" he grumbled.

"Got suckered into a tea party again huh? Well at least you dressed the part" she laughed, going into a fit of giggles.

He cocked his lips to the side, mocking that he wasn't amused with her antics.

"Oh you're a riot Kade, when are you coming home?"

"We're flying over the Pacific now…" she replied, settling out her laughter.

"…should be about six out, seven at the most"

"I'll leave the light on for you" he stated, unable to hide the loving smile that crept across his face.

"I love you" she remarked.

"I love you too"

With that, she disconnected the call, leaning back in the seat and nibbling her lip softly; not bothering to hide a smile of her own.

* * *

It was nearly midnight before she pulled the Edge into the driveway, parking it alongside his Camaro. She was surprised when he offered to sell it and get a more family friendly vehicle, but she refused to let him; she enjoyed riding in it as much as he did. She climbed out, groaning softly as she stretched her tired legs, more than ready to get a hot shower and some sleep.

She walked up to the front door, smiling to see the porch light shining bright, just like he promised. Quiet as could be, she unlocked the deadbolt and pushed the door open, peeking around the darkened house as she closed the door behind her; taking a brief moment to key in the activation code on the alarm before moving toward the stairs.

The stairs creaked softly under her feet as she made her way to the top, gently setting her duffle bag on the floor and tip toeing to the room on the far right, slowly pushing the door open to look down upon a small bed jutting out from the opposite wall. With the help of a pink filtered night light she could see the mass of blonde hair sprayed about her pillow, sleeping soundly, still clutching the same stuffed monkey she was given on her first birthday; though now it was missing an eye bead and had a makeshift tutu strapped around its midsection. An assortment of toys lay strewn about her floor, and the tea table next to her bed was still decorated with the evidence of her father's loss of dignity.

Kade stifled a soft laugh and quietly backed into the hallway, shutting the door and turning for the door on the left, using an equal amount of stealth on that one as well. The computer screen on his desk did enough to illuminate his room, giving view to a mass off different posters pinned to his walls; most of them being band posters and tour promotions. She spotted him on the bed next to the wall, sprawled out across the entirety of it, belly down, breathing deep and hair in all directions; his blanket draped loosely over top of him. His clothes basket was overflowing, and articles of such made up for most of his floor, save for the corner with his desk; a guitar propped up against the closet door.

She lived for this. This was the reason she became an Avenger, so that there was a chance she could protect their future. It was rough, being away from home, sometimes weeks at a time, but they always alternated; one of them always stayed behind. Thoughts surfaced in her mind again, regarding the conversation she had with Nat on the ride home. Would she really have to wait before retiring her Avenger status? Considering her skill set, she'd be able to land a job as a software engineer before sundown. Have a 9-5 job, be home every night and every weekend, maybe even join the PTA, and gossip with the other moms, wouldn't they just die if they knew she had seen Captain America with his shirt off…or maybe that she was married to the Winter Soldier.

Kade closed the door just as quietly as last time, shrugging off the thoughts of pretending to be that normal, and headed down the opposite hall; grabbing her bag along the way. She crept into the master bedroom, instantly spotting him asleep in bed, belly down and breathing deep; no doubt where Jamie got his method of sleep from. She rested her bag near the door as she closed it behind her, treading softly around the bed and toward the bathroom; closing that door behind her as well.

* * *

She arched her head forward, letting the shower pulsate against the skin between her shoulder-blades, rolling her shoulders to loosen the aching muscles, water cascading down the length of her toned body. Even now time held hardly any claim on her, proving that she and the soldiers were gifted with slowed aging; which she discovered came in handy whilst trying to raise two kids and carry on as an Avenger. Her antics, however, were not without consequence, and she found solace and relief with a hot shower on more than one occasion, especially on the more complicated and covert missions; the kind that usually garnered less than optimal sleeping arrangements…if sleep was to be had at all.

Home was where it was best. The bed was always comfortable, the water was always hot, but more importantly, it was where her family was…it was where he was. Kade had become so distracted by her thoughts, she didn't even hear the bathroom door open, nor notice when the shower door came open either. It wasn't until she felt the cool press of metal fingertips graze up her back and around her shoulder that she was aware of his presence.

Kadence hitched her breath, feeling her skin tingle where his fingers had been, her muscles come to life in reaction to his touch; damn it all she loved coming home to this. She relaxed her shoulders, straightening her body, and feeling that rush of excitement when she found herself pressed against his bare chest; suddenly aware of his own excitement that was steadily rising up behind her.

"Hey you" he whispered softly, bringing his chin to rest on her right shoulder.

"Hey" she answered, turning her head just enough press her lips against his; feeling the stubble of his day old beard.

Her blood went hot in seconds, and that heat was tracing its way across every inch of her body, searing underneath her skin, making the water feel like it was going cold; whether it was or it wasn't was no longer an issue. She turned toward him, barely breaking contact to wrap her arms around his neck, her heart hammering against her ribs when his hands trailed lazily down her back until they reached down just below her buttocks, taking a handful and hoisting her up with ease.

She let out a surprised squeak, giggling softly and wrapping her legs around his waist, her breath stolen in her throat when her back was suddenly pressed against the cold surface of the shower wall, his lips finding hers in a dominating seal, then just as quickly, he was inside her. Her giggling was instantly replaced with hushed moans, biting her lip as he took her, gentle yet possessive. Nails made trails across his back, teeth found purchase on her pulse. It took a great deal of effort for them both to keep quiet as they made up for lost time, and neither had difficulty sleeping by the time they made it to the bed.


	3. Chapter Three: If Not Now, When?

_**Deepest apologies for the delay with this chapter, I was a tad distracted with other things**_

 _**Enjoy!**_

 **Chapter Three: If Not Now, When?**

Bucky made his way downstairs, pulling his hair back into a low tail as he reached the floor, turning to the left and heading down the hallway that led to the kitchen; the smell of coffee tempting him every step of the way. He spotted his youngest, seated at the table, jamming a spoonful of oatmeal into her mouth. She could barely see over the bowl, given her lack of height, but the stubbornness she acquired from her mother had her refusing her booster seat every step of the way.

The attention she had on her breakfast was long gone the moment she spotted him, heterochromatic eyes going wide as saucers while she hopped down from her chair; the spoon still lodged in her mouth as she darted toward him. It seemed Kade had her already dressed for the day in blue jeans, a pink Tinkerbelle shirt and that accursed tutu; her hair up in a ponytail.

"Daddy!" she cooed from behind clamped teeth, latching onto his leg in a hug.

"Good morning to you too princess" Bucky chuckled, ruffling the top of her head as he adjusted the speed of his walk to compensate for the attachment still fastened to his leg.

"Same as usual?" Kade asked, walking up to the coffee pot.

"Please" he replied, noting the gray tank top and black capri pants; her ponytail only slightly worn.

"How long have you been up?" he asked, knowing she had already gone running that morning.

"A while…Constance, I know you love your daddy, but you need to finish your breakfast" Kade remarked, retrieving an empty mug from the cupboard and filling it with coffee.

Constance let out a short lived groan, releasing Bucky's leg and heading back to the table, climbing back up on the chair and seating herself back in front of her bowl.

"Happy already come by for Jamie?" He asked as she handed him his cup, steam rising from the black liquid.

"Yea, but not before I had a little chat with him. I warned him, he's getting a pass this time, but if he pulls a stunt like that again, he's grounded" Kade stated, leaning back against counter as she nursed a cup of her own.

"I'm surprised you didn't go ahead and do it anyway" he mentioned, tossing his eyebrows up as he took a gentle sip; seating himself at the island bar.

"I thought about it, but all things considered…they cut school to go to a robotics convention…it could have been worse…it could have been a lot worse" she remarked, her attention shifting to her coffee cup; seeming to become lost in her thoughts.

Bucky saw the look in her eyes, something was wrong, and she was avoiding it at all costs.

"Well, you know my take on it" he remarked, smiling in attempt to break her concentration.

"Yea, yea, Stark kid, bad influence, blah blah blah" she laughed, finally bringing the mug to her lips to take a drink.

He smiled, mostly at the fact she broke out of her trance rather quickly, deciding not to mention anything about it.

"I should probably get ready, I need to be on base at nine for debriefing" she stated, turning to place her mug in the sink.

"I've got drills at ten, so I guess we're taking separate cars" Bucky remarked, continuing to sip at his coffee.

"Seems so- oh I have a super huge favor!" she exclaimed, launching herself forward and all but slamming her hands down on the island.

Bucky's eyes went wide at her sudden approach, stilling his entire body in mid raise of his cup.

"Is there any chance you could pick Constance up from school and take her to ballet practice this evening? I have an appointment with Holt at 2:30 and there is no way I'm getting back through downtown traffic in time to get her" Kade asked, gently biting her lip as she waited patiently for an answer.

He sighed heavily, wondering why she felt it necessary to use the lip biting when he had no intention of refusing.

"I think I can manage…everything okay?" he replied, setting his coffee cup down.

"Yea, everything's fine. Last time I spoke with her, she said the results are in, so I'm going in for a consultation" Kade stated, raising her eyebrows in a flirting gesture.

"Let me know how it goes" he grinned, copying her gaze.

"You will be the first to know" she cooed, leaning further over the counter until their lips met.

It didn't matter how often they did it, whether it was a lasting one like last night, or a quick meet, she always felt her heart skip a beat and her skin go warm every time; and judging by the hitch in his breathing…he enjoyed it just as much. Much to her dismay, she separated from him, slowly returning to her side of the counter; yet never breaking eye contact.

"Ewww!" Constance cooed from the table, grinning like a Cheshire cat.

"Ewww!" Kade mocked, making a face at her daughter while Bucky laughed softly.

"I'm gonna take a shower and get ready to go" she laughed, heading from the kitchen.

"You takin my car this afternoon right?" he called.

"Until you can figure out how to get her car-seat into the Camaro, I'm gonna have to. Make sure she finishes her oatmeal please!" she answered as she retreated down the hall.

Kade gripped the bannister lightly as she spun on her toes and bounded up the stairs, slowing as she reached the top. A sullen look washed over her and again she was lost in a whirlwind of her own thoughts, taking her bottom lip between her teeth as she gently rested herself against the wall; her hand resting over her stomach as if done unconsciously.

* * *

"I honestly don't know why you keep having me run these tests if you already know the result beforehand" Holt sighed, flipping the record folder closed and leaning back in her chair.

"I guess I'm hoping one day I'll be wrong" Kade replied softly, staring down at her hands as they gripped hold of the back of the guest chair.

"Look, don't beat yourself up about it. A lot of women your age experience…well…null periods" Holt advised.

"Is this your subtle way of saying I've reached the age of infertility?" Kade questioned, lifting her head to toss an amused look at Holt.

"I never said infertile…" Holt corrected, shaming Kade with her finger.

"…you may be hitting forty, but your genome has practically preserved your lifespan. You have the look and overall health of someone in their late twenties, not to mention the clinical results from both you and Bucky come back with positive results. Medically speaking, there is no issue"

"So why is it that time and time again…we get nothing?" Kade mumbled, pushing herself from the chair and walking around to take a seat in it; flopping down in an exasperated manner.

"Well my first thought would have been the genome affecting your genetic makeup, but even after fusing with the infinity stone, if it were the case, Constance would have never survived the term…so the only other factor that could play into it is hormones"

"Hormones?" Kade asked, sounding skeptical.

"They are as finicky as they come, the slightest change can directly affect the ability to conceive. Do you have any idea how much stress can contribute to those changes?"

"I don't think stress is an issue here" Kade laughed.

"How so?" Holt questioned.

"Well for starters, the first time I got pregnant, we were in Russia, tracking down HYDRA. Getting blown up…and shot at. The second time was when I was being hunted down by my psychotic older brother, and getting teleported across the universe against my will. My stress factor now?...beyond minimal"

Holt leaned forward, resting on her elbows and clasping her hands together; exhaling slowly through her nose.

"Well there is something else…" Holt stated, almost in a whisper.

Kade raised her eyebrow in a questioning gesture, urging Holt to continue.

"…I can diagnose and treat things that I can see pretty easily, but not all ailments are physical. I treated a young woman some years back who, like you, was having difficulty conceiving. She wanted a child, bad…so bad that out of the blue, she started exhibiting the common symptoms…weight gain, cravings, morning sickness, christ she even started lactating. Over the counter tests came back positive, but ultrasound and blood tests showed nothing…she wasn't really pregnant…her hormones tricked her body into thinking it was" Holt explained.

"I…don't see how that has anything to do with me" Kade remarked, looking unimpressed.

"Emotional hormone shifts like that can work both ways. They can manipulate the body chemistry to mimic pregnancy as much as they can prevent it from happening altogether"

"So you're saying this is all in my head?"

"I'm merely suggesting, that all things considered…it's a possibility. I'm no psychiatrist, but I think this is a question that bears down deep into the subconscious…do you really want this child?"

"Yes, without a doubt. Jamie and Constance are the best things that ever happened to me, Bucky is an amazing husband and father…we finally have the family we always wanted…" Kade trailed off, her breath stopping short in her throat as she cast her eyes down; seeing her tightly clenched hands.

"But?..." Holt urged, sensing the hesitation.

Kade was quiet for several moments, as if trying to collect herself before she spoke again.

"I don't know whether it's just the predictability of my bad luck, or the stone is giving me premonitions…but I keep getting this feeling like something really bad is gonna happen" Kade admitted, surprising herself at the hint of fear that laced her voice.

"How long has this been going on?" asked Holt, concern etched across her features.

"A few years give or take"

"Years!?" Holt exclaimed.

"When it first started, I pegged it for paranoia. I have a track record when it comes to things falling apart at the seams just when I think everything is fine, but when nothing happened right away, I started to put if off. I needed to in order to focus on the missions and be with my family without them wondering what was going on…I guess I buried it deeper than I thought"

"Have you at least told Bucky?"

"Hell no…you know how protective he gets over me and the kids…the last thing I need is him getting worked up over something I don't even comprehend yet"

"Secrecy is never a good thing" Holt warned gently.

"I'm not intending to keep secrets I just-…I'd rather know exactly what I'm dealing with before I put everyone on high alert. For all I know, with the time that's gone by, it could be just like you said…all in my head"

"I never said that exactly…I merely implied that sometimes, we alone can be our own worst enemy" Holt corrected.

The two exchanged a soft laugh, nullifying the potential of an awkward silence that was bound to follow. It was Holt who let out a heavy sigh first, reaching over to open a desk drawer, pulling out a notepad from inside and tossing it on the desk; retrieving a pen from the front pocket of her lab coat.

"In any case, I do have a diagnoses for this little consultation"

"That being?" Kade urged.

"You need a vacation…A.S.A.P"

Kade let out a short burst laugh, leaning back into the chair as casual as could be; still snickering.

"That's not happening any time soon" Kade remarked.

"If not now, when?" Holt snipped, not even raising her gaze as she continued to scribble something on the notepad,

"I'm an Avenger…I can't just up and take off whenever I want, Steve will never go for it" Kade argued.

"You let me deal with Rogers. Get the kids a babysitter, then you and Bucky get out of the state, get out of the country, I don't care where, just get out. You two need some time alone. Take a breather, and talk to each other…"

Holt tossed the pen down and abruptly tore the top page from the pad, folding it in half as she continued talking.

"…Communication is essential for any healthy relationship…and that is my professional medical opinion" With that, Holt reached forward, gesturing for Kade to take the piece of paper from between her fingers.

"This coming from someone who's been divorced twice?" Kade teased.

"That is why it is my professional medical opinion"

Kade huffed, and pushed herself from the chair, taking the paper and giving Holt and amused grin.

"One of these days you'll learn that if I can handle Stark…I can handle anything"

"No comment" Kade remarked.

"Get out" Holt growled teasingly.

Kade laughed softly, turning to leave.

* * *

It was nearly sundown before Kade arrived back at home, finding Bucky and the kids parked in the living room watching a movie; with pizza up for grabs on the coffee table. She didn't bother getting onto Bucky about the pork loin that had been marinating since early that morning, because after the day she had…she really didn't feel like cooking anyway. Instead, she sat down next to him and enjoyed not just a slice of pizza, but a slice of what family life was like.

By the time the credits started rolling, Kade was snuggled up next to Bucky, Constance was passed out halfway into Kade's lap, and Jamie was still parked in the corner; his attention drawn to a game on the tablet in attempt to avoid watching the movie. He never really cared for his little sister's choice in entertainment.

"She out?" Bucky asked quietly.

Kade looked down, gently reaching to pull her daughter's locks away from her face, taking note that she was fast asleep.

"She's out" Kade confirmed, holding back a laugh.

After checking the clock above the T.V, reading a little after nine, she sat up slowly, worming her hands around the child's small frame to start lifting her up; being as careful as possible not to wake her up.

"Jamie, take your sister to her room please, and lights out at ten for you" she requested in a near whisper.

Jamie sighed, turning off the tablet and getting to his feet, placing the tablet on the coffee table as he walked over to his parents; being equally as careful to keep from waking his sister as he took her from Kade and pulled her up into his arms. With equal stealth, he retreated from the living room, turning sharp to head up the stairs.

"You were later than I expected" Bucky stated, opening his arms as she shimmied her way across his lap.

"Yea I drove down to the harbor to take a breather…I guess I lost track of time" she explained.

Kade had her legs draped over the remained of his lap that she wasn't seated on, cradling into his chest and resting her head against his left shoulder; the cool metal a refreshing feeling against her warm skin. She felt one arm wrap around from her back while the other draped over top of her legs in a protective embrace.

The soft music of the movie credits were the only comfort against the silence that wrapped around them. Kade just sat there, listening to his breathing, her fingers tracing over the slack ripples in the fabric of his shirt as if to distract herself.

"Another no go huh?" he asked gently.

She went rigid in his arms, and those fingers found purchase in his shirt, gripping it in a fist. Even while his tone was understanding, it still felt like she had been broadsided by a speeding truck. It was easy enough to talk about failed attempts at pregnancy with Holt, but it was never easy to break the news to Bucky; even now.

"It's just so frustrating…the first two were completely unplanned, and now that we're actually trying…we can't…I'm sorry" she whimpered, burying her face into his shoulder shamefully.

"Hey, don't you dare apologize. It's not your fault" he argued, tightening his hold on her ever so slightly.

Kade started speaking, but it came out as nothing but muffled garbling with the current direction of her head.

"I can't hear you when you talk like that" he mocked.

She sighed heavily, waiting a moment before positioning her head back the way it was.

"Doc thinks it's something in my subconscious…so yea…it is my fault" she stated, her voice breaking slightly.

"We are in this together, you hear me? Till death do us part…remember that" he soothed, leaning his head down until it rested against hers.

She fought back tears, taking deep steadying breaths to keep herself calm, flattening her palm over his left breast; feeling the beat of his heart.

"She say anything else?" Bucky asked.

"Only that I should take a vacation…she thinks it will help clear my head" Kade sighed, an amused smirk crossing her lips at the suggestion.

"I figured as much…which is why we're leaving tomorrow" Bucky remarked, as casual as could be.

It took Kade only seconds to process what he said, and what that implied, her brows furrowing in disbelief as she pushed herself away from his chest to look him in the eye.

"Wait, what?"

A mischievous grin came over his face and it was clear he was reining back the urge to laugh.

"Bucky, we can't just up and bolt like that, not with two kids-"

"I already talked to Clint…" he interjected, cutting her off.

"…he and Laura are coming tomorrow morning to pick them up, take them out to his place until we get back, they could use the fresh air anyway…and since they're out next week for spring break, they'll only miss one day of school"

Kade's argument lodged in her throat, and for a moment, she could do nothing but sit there and stare at him, dumfounded.

"Okay…and that mission in Venezuela? You're scheduled to leave Monday" She argued.

"It's been reassigned, and to counter your next excuse, Steve has already cleared us for five vacation days and the use of a quin-jet"

"A quin-jet? Where are you planning on going with this quin-jet?" she asked.

"Moscow" he answered, still brandishing a soft smile.

"Why Moscow?"

"I'll tell you when we get there"

Kade let out an exasperated sigh, and dropped her head down on his shoulder, feeling defeated in some sense of the word. He may have covered all of his bases, but there was no way this was all his doing.

"Holt called you didn't she?" she mumbled.

"I called her"

She turned her eyes up at him, confusion etched over her face.

"When did you-"

"This morning, after you left"

"How…how did you know?" she asked, her voice laced with guilt.

"You had that look in your eyes…a look I've seen before. You're pretty perceptive with it, so I figured that meant something was wrong" he stated.

Kade smiled softly, sighing as she rested herself further into his arms.

"I can't hide anything from you can I?" she remarked.

"Nope" he answered.

There was no arguing with him at this point, even if she could find an excuse he wouldn't be able to counter, Holt would likely threaten to have her committed if she didn't go through with it; worse yet she'd try.

"Fine, I'll go" she sighed.

"Good, although I wouldn't have given you a choice in the matter" he remarked teasingly.

"Oh really?" she purred, raising her eyebrow doubtfully.

"Well I could always just do like I did the last time I took you to Russia" he stated in a matter-of-fact tone.

Kade let out a hearty, yet sarcastic, laugh.

"You so much as even contemplate a stunt like that, and you will most likely regret it" she warned, glaring at him playfully.

* * *

Kade gazed out the window, looking out as the lights of Red Square grew brighter with the last few rays of evening sun. She ran her thumb along the underside of her wedding band, tucked carefully next to the tarnished silver engagement ring, relishing the feeling of having them on again; she never wore them when she went on missions.

She heard him clear his throat, turning her head to watch him approach her slowly, her breath stolen for a brief moment. It had been a long time since she had seen him dressed so formally, their wedding likely being that time. Yet here he stood, in a sleek suit fit for a black tie event, his shoulder length hair neatly combed down with a relaxed part down the middle, a single black glove on his left hand; he even went so far as to trim up his usual five o'clock shadow.

He saw her smile, and the sparkle in her eyes outdid what little makeup she needed to wear. Her longer hair was styled up, giving a clear glimpse of not just the back of her neck, but the tattoo at the peak of her shoulder-blades; a laughing jester skull she got shortly after being inducted as an Avenger. She gained only a few inches of height with a pair of silver colored heels, accenting the strapless red evening gown, flowing down to the floor and captivating her figure in all the right ways; even with the split right up to the upper part of her thigh. Bucky entertained the idea of just staying in for the night…for obvious reasons.

"I feel like a monkey in this thing" he grumbled.

She laughed softly, turning to walk toward him, and he couldn't help but be captivated by the way she moved; silently praising whoever invented high heels.

"You look sharp" she assured, reaching up to gently adjust his tie.

He snorted through his nose, looking down at her while she fixed his attire.

"So…of all the places to go…why Moscow?" she asked, abandoning the tie and resting her hands on his jacket.

Bucky was silent for a moment, as she tilted her head up to gaze into his eyes, waiting patiently for his answer it seemed. A gentle smile crept up on the corner of his lips.

"Well, some time ago, you told a van full of Russian thugs that we were supposed to meet your aunt in Moscow for dinner" he stated, grinning the entire time.

"Oh wow, so that's the reason?" Kade laughed shaking her head in disbelief, walking back toward the window and retrieving a navy blue necklace box.

"Among others"

"Those being?" she asked, handing him the box and turning her back to him.

"Well…I guess you could say Russia holds a bit of sentimental value to me" he remarked, opening the box and gently retrieving a sterling silver necklace with an infinity pendant.

"How so?" she asked.

He tossed the box on the bed and gingerly unclasped the necklace, raising it over her head and bringing it down around her neck.

"Because it's not just the place where I became a monster…but it's where I became human again" he replied quietly, securing the clasp with almost practiced ease; he had his daughter's dress up fits to thank for that.

She said nothing as she slowly turned to face him, bearing that understanding look. He had many other reasons, but there was no need to mention them; one was enough.

"We should get going…we don't want to be late for our reservations" she advised, smiling.

"No, that just wouldn't do"


	4. Chapter Four: Time To Go

_**Oh Hai! Heresa chappa four! I seriously need some sleep, holy hell**_

 _**I should probably mention that neither Ambrose or Aspen Landing really exist, and if by chance some of you know what the control room of a nuclear plant looks like, I'm sorry if I got it horribly wrong...I've never been in one so...yea**_

 _**Enjoy!**_

 **Chapter Four: Time To Go**

The secondary control room of the plant was never used on during the third shift hours ever since Stark's technology was implemented, allowing the entirety of the plant to run properly with little interference. So when the silent air began to crack and whine, sparking with mysterious bolts of electricity, it went entirely un-noticed; except for the single security camera mounted in the corner.

Within seconds, the cracks and whines evolved into a burst of electrical energy and a fading black mist that dissipated from around three individuals; all of them nearly falling to the ground as they struggled to gain their bearings.

"You did it…Connie, you did it, we're here!" JB exclaimed, staggering forward.

"Thank goodness" Connie replied in a near whisper, breathless.

"The plant is active in this time, we need to find a way out before they find us" Simon advised.

A low thud drew both the attention of both to Connie, who was laying in an unconscious heap on the floor where she once stood.

"Connie!" JB barked, falling to her side in an instant.

He took her shoulders, gently shaking her in an attempt to raise her from her slumber. Simon knelt on the opposite side, grabbing hold of JB's forearm to get him to cease his attempts long enough for him to check her pulse; practically holding his breath as he waited.

"Her pulse is extremely weak…" Simon breathed.

Simon released JB's arm, grabbing hold of her right wrist and turning it over, revealing a device that strongly resembled a watch, but the face that should have registered the time, was completely black, a red L.E.D softly pulsing around the outer edge.

"…and her power levels are completely depleted" he finished, his tone wavering with concern.

"What does that mean?" JB asked, slightly panicked.

"It means we need to get her stabilized, but we can't do that here, we need to-"

Simon was cut off as the dark room was suddenly filled with a flashing red emergency light, an obnoxiously loud alarm ringing through the building.

"Leave!" Simon barked, working his hands underneath Connie to scoop her into his arms.

JB got to his feet, his eyes scanning the darkened room as best they could, feeling a surge of adrenaline pulse through his veins when he spotted the window on the far side of the room.

"This way!" he urged, clearing the distance in mere seconds.

"That is reinforced glass JB, there's no way you're gonna be able to-"

Again Simon was cut off, this time by the loud echo of shattering glass as JB reared his fist back and bore down on the window with everything he could; effectively blowing out the entirety of it.

"Okay…maybe you can" Simon grumbled.

"Freeze!"

The warning came from the main door, as four security guards came bursting inside, tazer guns aimed, spreading out and cornering them against the wall. JB turned from the window and bolted toward them.

"JB don't!" Simon pleaded.

JB ignored him, charging the guards. The center guard fired first, the tazer probes embedding into the front of his chest. He came to a stop, visibly cringing as cracks of electricity echoed out within the room, but he held his ground, grinding his teeth while a couple thousand volts ran through his system. Smirking, JB raised his hand toward the wires, barely reaching them before two more guards fired.

The voltage this time was a little harder to ignore, and he fell to his knees, groaning against the strain to his body. He vaguely heard Simon shouting something, possibly his name, but it fell on deaf ears. Letting out an audible growl of irritation, he finally regained enough control of his arm to reach across, grabbing all six wires at once and yanking them off his body; glaring daggers at the guards.

They exchanged worried glances for a brief moment, unable to react when JB lunged forward, driving his elbow into the gut of the first guard that shot him, doubling him over and putting him on the floor. He shifted to the right, rearing back a left hook and nailing the second guard in the jaw, sending him backward into a support beam. A third guard came up from behind, wrapping his forearm across JB's neck with some intention to chokehold him.

JB thrust his right elbow back, hearing an audible crunch echo out from the man's ribs, quickly followed by a pained howl. He bent forward just enough to reach back, grabbing hold of the man's uniform and throwing him up over his shoulders and into the second guard; rendering them both unconscious.

He pivoted on his left, turning his attention to the last guard, narrowing his eyes dangerously. The guard flashed a stupid grin, tossing his gun to the ground and raising his hands innocently, stumbling backward until he hit the door, scrambling to get out of the room.

"He'll be back with friends" Simon warned.

"Yea and real guns, it's time to go" JB agreed, storming back toward the window.

Simon followed, still holding on to Connie as he peered over JB's shoulder, seeing the distance between them and the ground below.

"That's a three story drop, you do realize that?" Simon asked, sounding concerned.

His concern fell on deaf ears as JB positioned himself briefly before jumping down, landing with practiced ease and turning himself to face them.

"Of course you do" he grumbled to himself.

"Let her down, I got her" JB shouted.

Simon muttered a string of incoherent complaints as he teetered closer to the ledge of the broken window, adjusting his arms to put as much distance between Connie and the building before he released her; cringing the entire time. JB caught her, lowering her as she fell into his arms to keep her from getting whiplash; moving her to rest in the grass before he moved back underneath the window.

Distant shouts brought Simon's attention toward the door for a moment, swearing under his breath; the reinforcements were assembled a little too fast for his liking.

"What are you waiting for? Jump!" JB barked from below.

"What!?" Simon screeched, wide eyes falling down on JB.

"I'll catch you, come on!"

Simon let out a groan, looking back on the door one last time before he stepped up to the window, gripping the wall to keep from falling over prematurely.

"This kid is gonna be the death of me and he's not even mine" he muttered to himself.

He held his breath as if to muster the nerve before he jumped from the window sill, a brief regret of actions flashing before his eyes before he collided with JB, who managed to break enough of the fall as so he didn't break his legs; toppling to the ground in a heap and nearly dragging JB down with him.

"Oh, well that was graceful" Simon groaned, rolling to his side.

JB let out a low chuckle and went to Connie's side, scooping her up quickly. Before any of them could get another word in edgewise, the echoes of sporadic gunfire rattled out from the window above them, as bullets slammed into the ground nearby. Even carrying Connie, JB had no issues bolting off into the cover of the darkness, with Simon desperately scrambling after him.

* * *

He was sleeping soundly, or at least he was, his left arm trapping the pillow against his head, buried face down into it; his right arm draped protectively over another warm body. It was still dark out when he opened his eyes, slowly gaining consciousness as the repetitive beeping became clearer, and louder. Bucky laid there, expecting her to stir at any moment to silence the alarm; wondering why she bothered to set the thing in the first place.

It felt as if several minutes passed by, and there was still no activity from Kade, save for her restful breathing. Letting out a heavy groan, he pushed himself up on his left hand, shifting his body over her mid-section, his right hand stabbing in the dark for the dim illumination of her phone. It took much more restraint than usual to keep from just crushing the stupid thing, but he silenced it carefully, lowering his body down on hers, resting his head against her stomach and curling his arm up her side; cradling her like his own personal pillow.

"You're heavy" she grumbled sleepily.

"I wouldn't be heavy if someone wouldn't try to sleep through their alarm" he retorted, nuzzling his face against the cloth of her tank top, unintentionally drawing it up enough to expose skin.

"Careful, I could toss you across this room without so much as batting an eyelash…what do you think of that Mr. Barnes?" she mocked.

Bucky couldn't help the wicked grin that crossed his lips, raising his head to spot the exposure of her lower stomach; and the top hem of her black lace panties.

"Oh I've got other things on my mind…Mrs. Barnes" he purred, lowering his head and placing an open mouthed kiss against her left hip.

Her breath hitched and he felt the slightest arch of her back, enticing him further as his mouth led a trail down to the hemline of her underwear.

"Last night not enough for you?" she teased, her voice wavering slightly against his touch.

Bucky let out a low chuckle, abandoning her waist line and shifting the entirety of his body over hers as he crawled upward, meeting her lips with his own in a chaste kiss; pulling back just enough to gaze into her eyes.

"I have to make up for lost time" he remarked, not giving her the chance to argue before he stole another kiss...this time with a little more force.

Any retort she could have voiced was lost in her throat, and her body reacted naturally to his motions. His weight was steady against her, and his skin was still warm from sleep as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders; holding onto him. She deepened the kiss, urging him on; not like he needed the encouragement. His left arm snaked itself behind her shoulders, while the right moved down; cupping between her legs.

She gasped for air, feeling the heat of lust burn through her veins; it never dulled between them…that much she was thankful for. His lips found a new venture, tracing her jawline briefly before drifting down her neck, tracing his tongue over the junction of her shoulder; feeling her shiver beneath his touch.

The sound of low vibration suddenly rang out from the opposite side of the bed, and they both froze. It silenced itself for a moment before it did it again, and with that, Bucky buried his head into her pillow, letting out an aggravated groan. Kade, meanwhile, couldn't help the restrained fit of giggles that threatened to develop into full out laughter, giving him a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

"That one is yours my dear" she cooed.

"Yea, I know" he grumbled, forcing himself from her and rolling back to his side of the bed.

Fishing his phone from the nightstand, he brought it up, barely registering Steve's name on the caller ID before suddenly feeling a warm, wet tongue lap slowly over his left nipple. He nearly dropped the phone, sucking in air through gritted teeth as he glanced down at her, seeing that mischievous look in her eyes, her lip caught between her teeth. It was at that moment he contemplating throwing the device right out the window and ravishing the female responsible for his torture.

"Thank you Steve…for the epic cock block" he muttered, finally pressing the green button on the lower part of the screen and bringing it to his ear.

"This had better be important" he growled.

There was a moment of silence and the irritated look he bore quickly washed over with what Kade established as concern and disbelief.

"What?" he hissed, abruptly sitting up.

It was at this point that Kade felt worry build up in the pit of her stomach, making her nauseas.

"You're sure? Without a doubt?" he seethed, looking back at Kade.

Her mind reeled at the possibilities of where that conversation was going, and what it was regarding. He finally pulled his eyes away, sighing heavily.

"Yea, we're heading back" he stated flatly, lowering the phone to hang up.

A thought struck her like a truck, and she felt dizzy just contemplating it.

"Bucky?...please don't tell me the kids…" she trailed off, her throat suddenly feeling like sandpaper.

"The kids are fine, they're still with Clint…" Bucky breathed, sliding off the bed and grabbing a pair of cargo pants off the floor.

"…There was an incident at the nuclear plant in Virginia, a break in or a break out, they're still unsure"

"What, did they get codes!?" Kade asked, the edge of nausea slowly fading.

"No, they didn't take a thing" Bucky answered, yanking the pants up to his waist and making quick work of the button.

"I don't get it…what does this have to do with us?"

"Not us…you" Bucky replied.

Kade's confusion was easily seen on her face and couldn't even form words at the moment to question.

"They pulled a print from the scene…it matches your brother" He stated.

She surpassed nausea altogether, feeling as if her insides had just up and disappeared and judging by the sudden inability to breathe, it seemed her lungs followed suit. Her head swam with worry, and the recollection of her foresight came crashing down around her. She was right all along…just when things start looking up, someone comes along to tear it all down.

"I should get dressed" Kade remarked breathlessly.

* * *

Jet lag was an understatement, she was exhausted. The eight hour flight back to the states was nothing, it was eight hours of contemplation, worry, and downright anxiety that made it feel like she hadn't slept in days by the time they landed back at the base. She didn't say a word as they pulled into the guest parking of Aspen Landing, a mental health facility in southern Connecticut. It had been two years since his doctor as Greenbrier deemed him well enough to be transferred to a hospital that specialized in the rehabilitation of patients, preparing them for their release into society.

She detested the idea, and just thinking about him eventually walking free made her sick to her stomach, now more than ever being as she hadn't so much as thought about eating since Steve called. It was almost like Kade was running on auto pilot as they crossed the front courtyard, her eyes transfixed on the main doors to the building. It was Bucky who broke her out of her trance, gently grabbing her forearm, forcing her to stop and look at him.

"Are you sure you want to do this now?" he asked.

She was silent for a moment, finding word much harder than usual to come by.

"I wouldn't be here if I wasn't" she replied in a near whisper.

"You've barely said anything since we left Moscow, and you haven't eaten anything either"

"I'll be fine"

Bucky let out a heavy sigh, staring intensely at her.

"You haven't seen him in six years, and the very mention of him has you twisting in knots…you're far from fine" he argued.

"You're worried, it's understandable, but I'm worried for entirely different reasons. For instance, how the hell he got to Virginia and back without anyone noticing, what he wanted out of that plant that he wasn't able to get…he's planning something and that scares me. Simon is smart, manipulative and he knows how to work the system…that's what this is all about…the Landing is renowned for their patient recovery, so for him, this is just one step further to freedom.

His blood tests continue to come back negative for the X-gene, but even without it…he's dangerous. He's got everybody fooled, but I'm not buying it. The only reason I'm here, is to expose him for the liar he is…and I will not be satisfied until he's placed in a maximum security prison for the rest of his life"

With that, she turned on her heel and continued walking toward the door. Bucky exhaled slowly, watching her stride with a little more resolve than she had before; leave it to him to push just the right buttons.

"Nothin' like a little family drama to brighten the day" he mumbled to himself.

* * *

"Can I help you?" asked an overly perky blonde sitting at the reception desk.

"I'm here to see a patient" Kade replied, sounding less than pleased.

"A resident you mean?" she corrected.

Kade raised her eyebrow up questionably, obviously not seeing the need for a correction.

"Those staying here at Aspen Landing are referred to as residents, not patients. It helps them to adjust better back into society" she explained, her beaming smile never faltering.

"Patient, resident, whatever...I need to see him" Kade growled, wanting to strangle the receptionist with the fluffy red scarf she had around her neck.

"Okay, what's the name?" she asked, practically shrugging off Kade's unpleasant aura.

"Whitmore"

She went to town, typing into the computer fast enough to silently impress Kade.

"Alright, if you could please, just sign the check-in sheet, and I'll have him paged" the receptionist cooed, handing Kade a neon orange, plastic clipboard with a pen chained to the top of it.

Kade took it, somewhat hesitantly, and began scribbling down the requested information.

"I didn't think check-in sheets were still a thing" she stated, humored.

She had barely finished writing her name when her attention was pulled away by a male voice, calling her by name. Kade turned to watch two men approach the reception counter, both dressed in pressed business suits, combed over hair and the receiver wires plainly visible coming down from behind their ears.

"I was hoping I'd find you here, your superior said you might stop by" the man on the left remarked, brandishing a smile.

He looked only slightly older than his partner, and seemingly more friendly in his facial expressions; as his partner just stood there scowling.

"Who are you exactly?" Bucky asked sternly.

"Agent Ford, this is agent Williams, we're with the F.B.I" he answered, motioning his head in the direction of his partner.

"I'd like to see some I.D then" Kade requested, keeping an edge to her tone.

The men exchanged glances, fishing into the inside pocket of their jackets. The flicker in Kade's eyes went unnoticed by everyone, dipping into their thoughts as easily as opening a door. Thought reading was easy, and as long as she didn't dig too deep, they never noticed. It was when she went after every bit and detail that it put them on the floor. Sam called it a brain duster, but at least he was a good sport about it; given she used him as a test subject.

The agent's presented their badges, allowing both her and Bucky to inspect them momentarily, before relinquishing them back into their jackets. Their thoughts were clear, they were actual agents, and they were here for questioning.

"So why were you wanting to find me?" Kade asked, playing off like she didn't already know.

"I was hoping we could talk, if you have a few minutes" he replied, and Bucky did his best to ignore the demanding undertone in Ford's voice.

"Do I have a choice in the matter?" she asked sternly.

"Of course" Ford answered quickly.

Kade narrowed her eyes at him, clenching her fists gently when his mental thoughts radiated in her mind. He was prepared to make a spectacle of it if she didn't bend to his requests, he'd pull out all the stops and show his teeth like the king of the dog pen; if only he knew he was tangling with a wolf.

"Is that so?" she challenged, allowing the slightest hint of a smirk to form.

Ford's confidence dwindled slightly, and that cocky smile started to fade. Either he was quickly growing impatient with her defensive attitude, or he was catching on to the fact that she wasn't buying his bullshit. Bucky's hand took her elbow gently, breaking the intensive stare down between her and the agents, leaning close to her ear.

"Play nice" he advised softly, as so nobody would hear him but her.

She scoffed quietly, turning an amused glare in his direction.

"Coming from you…that's rich" she mocked.

He scowled at her, obviously unimpressed with her jab at his social nature; he seemed to only be tame when it came to their family. Kade sighed heavily, relaxing her gaze just enough to take the edge off the mood.

"Fine, let's talk" she snipped.

"I was hoping we could talk somewhere private, if it's all the same to you" Ford advised.

Before Kade could open her mouth to argue, and Bucky have a chance to silence her, the receptionist spoke up.

"We have private consultation rooms down the main hall and to the left if you'd like" she recommended, pointing to the hallway behind the front desk.

"That would be much appreciated, thank you" Ford replied, flashing the receptionist a heartfelt smile as he and his partner made their way toward the gestured destination.

Kade turned toward the receptionist with a less than pleased glare, wondering whose side the perky little blonde was on.

"Would you still like me to page-" The blonde started, still brandishing a cheeky grin.

"No, that's not necessary" Kade grumbled, cutting her off as she followed the agents.

"Let me know if I can be of any further assistance"

Kade made an attempt to turn back to the desk, opening her mouth to say something before Bucky came up behind her, practically pushing her forward to keep her from causing a scene.

* * *

"I'm going to go out on a limb and assume you don't like talking to feds" Ford remarked casually, taking a seat at one of the chairs pushed against the wall.

"Let's just get this over with, I don't even want to be here" Kade seethed, leaning against the outside arm of the couch opposite of Ford; Bucky standing against the wall near the door.

"How much do you know about the investigation?" Williams asked sternly.

Kade shifted a hostile gaze at Williams briefly, taking a deep steadying breath in attempt to keep her anger in check. It didn't matter if she was two steps away from the door, she still felt like they were trying to corner her. She folded her arms across her chest, concealing her clenched fists as best she could.

"Only that his prints were found at the scene" she sighed.

Ford glanced over at Williams, and Kade caught his underlying smile. She wanted to smack that grin off his face so hard it was making her sick to her stomach. Local and state police were a breeze to work with compared to federal agents, their time spent at the top of the criminal food chain made them cocky, if not the least bit arrogant. Given her hostility during this little encounter, she gambled the only reason they haven't tried to detain her is because of her Avenger status. He looked back at her, settling in his chair like he was ready to read her a story.

"Three days ago, around one in the morning, night security at the Ambrose nuclear plant in Virginia, spotted three unknown individuals in the secondary control room. Four guards were sent to apprehend the assailants, only one managed to escape and call for backup"

"What difference does it make?" Kade snipped.

"Because one of the assailants managed to take down three guards in under a minute after having a hundred and fifty thousand volts punched through his chest, shortly after punching through a reinforced plate glass window with his bare hands" Ford explained.

Kade felt her breath hesitate in her throat, the hair on the back of her neck standing on end; her and Bucky exchanging brief glances.

"So you can understand our concern" Williams remarked.

"They made their escape through the broken window, which is three stories above ground mind you, and disappeared. One of those three was identified by a fingerprint found at the scene, but the other two don't appear to be in the system and are still in the wind as of currently. On top of that, we still don't have a motive. So at this point, I was hoping you might be of use" Ford stated.

"Why me?" Kade asked.

"I need someone more familiar with his habits and behavior, and naturally you're the first choice with him being your broth-"

"Don't you dare!" Kade spat aggressively, startling Ford and Williams both; Bucky of course was just waiting for the agent to make that error.

"He may be blood, but he is _not_ my family" she growled, her knuckles white.

Ford raised his hands up in an innocent gesture, trying to defuse the sudden wave of hostility in the room before things got out of hand.

"No need to get all worked up, I didn't mean anything by it…but it makes me wonder, if you hate him so much…then why are you here?" Ford asked.

It was a simple question, so why was she suddenly at a loss for a simple answer? She reeled back to the conversation she and Bucky had outside. It still didn't make sense. They needed the truth yes, but at what cost, her sanity? What was driving her so badly to seek the man she had been avoiding like the plague for the past six years? A constricting pain wrapped around her insides, making her both regret and praise the fact she still hadn't ate anything. Her knuckles went white, and a chill riveted up her spine; fear?

"We're here for the same reason as you, we want answers" Bucky answered, snapping her out of her haze.

"Well then, let's both benefit out of it" Ford remarked, flashing a smile at Bucky.

"What do you mean?" Bucky asked, glancing at Kade; she had her eyes glued to the floor.

"Prior to contrary belief, the F.B.I still has to follow protocol. While under normal circumstances, these types of patients have already been stripped of their rights, the Landing does everything they can to establish a makeshift form of them. It works the same way with juveniles, we can't legally question them without the primary caregiver present" Ford stated, leaning forward in his chair as he looked over at Kade.

Bucky's eyes followed, seeing the strain in her shoulders even from that distance, and her eyes still avoiding contact from all three of them. In the years he's known her, he's never seen her like this…except once.

"So what does Kade have to do with it?" Bucky asked, trying to keep the agent's attention off of her.

Ford seemed to have caught on, ignoring Bucky's presence entirely as he stared down Kade; the soldier of course not liking that one bit.

"She's listed as his primary caregiver" Williams stated.

Kade's head snapped in his direction, the haze of her fear dissipating in an instant.

"Since when!?" she spat.

"I wouldn't know, but likely when he was transferred to the Landing" he replied.

She swore under her breath, lulling her head back to stare at the ceiling; squinting against the fluorescents.

"You don't want to be here, you said so yourself, so I'm willing to make a deal with you, to help make this worth your time" Ford mentioned, getting to his feet.

Both Kade and Bucky turned their attention to him, urging him to continue.

"You let us do our thing…I'll get a confession out of him, and before you know it, he's in a max secure prison…permanently. Hell he won't even see the light of day if you don't want him to. What do ya say?" Ford offered.

Kade wasn't one to make deals with anyone she didn't know on a personal level, but Ford's offer was beyond tempting. She worried the inside of her lip for a moment, glancing over at Bucky, whose concerned gaze was of no help. Exhaling slowly, she unclenched her fists, noticing the deep nail marks on the inside of her palm; standing up straight and staring down Ford.

"You got yourself a deal"


	5. Chapter Five: Say It Anyway

_**Yeesh this chapter got redone a few times, so apologies if there are a few more mistakes than usual**_

 _**Enjoy!**_

 **Chapter Five: Say It Anyway**

Kade leaned against the corner of the room, facing the far wall, her arms crossed over her chest with one leg draped over top of the other, trying her best to look as calm as possible; though the relentless tapping of her foot proved otherwise. Bucky stood nearby, his hands tucked in his pockets, and a steady eye on the door.

Ford and Williams took the chairs close to her and Bucky, a heavy wooden table separating them from a lone empty chair on the opposite side. The clock on the wall ticked away, and to Kade, it was obnoxiously loud in the painful silence of the room while they waited for the guest of honor. One of the attending doctors stated that it was an evaluation room that was used to assess the mental state of the "residents" at random points to determine if they were improving or not.

She spotted the cameras mounted in each corner the second they walked inside, along with the one sided mirror along the wall she was halfway leaning against; so understudies could observe and take notes as needed. Kade worried the inside of her lip, thankful that they negated the offer to record the interrogation, providing that's what it really was. She knew what Ford was planning to do even without reading his mind.

The sound of the door latch had her heart in her throat and her nerves locking in place, if she wanted to run for any reason, she would find it impossible. One of the orderlies stepped through, acknowledging the presence of the four inside as he moved close to the door, allowing entrance of another. Kade stopped breathing when he walked in the room, her tongue and throat going dry and she fought back a wave of nausea; likely brought on by the tight pull of her nerves.

He looked nearly the same as he did when she last saw him. His curly blonde hair was a little longer now, but not as vibrant in color as it once was; early signs of gray showing up along his temples and forehead. He was still thin, and she noticed the slightest bit of aging in his face, making it clear that the years were not as kind to him as they were to Kade. She found it slightly un-nerving that he looked, by all matter of the term, sane, even wearing a light long-sleeve shirt and scrub pants. His facial expression was soft, if not welcoming as he walked further inside.

It was at that moment that his attention spanned the room, and his soft blue eyes met with ocean colored orbs. He looked surprised, his eyes widening and his mouth barely coming open, as if he wanted to speak but was at a sudden loss of words. The rush of emotions that raged through her mind was becoming harder to conceal, her knuckles going white as a result; fingernails digging painfully into her palms.

"Kade?" Simon breathed, taking a small step toward her.

She withdrew a ragged exhale, narrowing her eyes dangerously. He stopped in his tracks, eyes half lidded with hurt while he retracted his approach, lowering his head in defeat as he made his way toward the opposite side of the table to take a seat. Kade couldn't pin his behavior, torn between confusion and infuriation. What the hell was going on!? There was no way in hell he could become that docile in only six years! She had steeled herself for the crazed maniac that tried to have her killed, not the submissive coward that was seated just a few feet away…she didn't know how to handle this.

"Take as much time as you need, use the emergency button by the door if there's a problem" the orderly advised, closing the door behind him as he left.

Bucky cocked his head to the side to look at Kade, watching her jaw flex, hearing the soft gritting of teeth; she was nothing but a big ball of tension by the looks of it. He quickly turned his attention back to Simon, seated in the chair on the other side of the table, his hands folded over each other as he forced a polite smile for the agents. There was no denying it, even he was slightly un-nerved by the display, especially after seeing how deranged the older Whitmore sibling had become shortly after Kade was infused with the stone. The question bounced around his head, now more than ever. Was she right? Was he just putting on a front to cover up his schemes? Or was this genuine recovery?

"How are you doing Mr. Whitmore?" Ford asked, brandishing a friendly smile.

"I'm doing well, so to speak, but…please…Simon will do just fine" Simon replied softly, clearing his throat.

"Okay then, Simon. I'm agent Ford with the F.B.I, you can call me Ford if you want, or agent, or agent Ford, I don't really care about formalities, and I don't really care for beating around the bush either, so I'll get strait to the point…tell me what you were after at the plant?" Ford asked sternly, leaning forward and resting his elbows on the table.

Simon's eyes darted between Ford and Williams, even daring to glance at Bucky with some silent plea for an explanation. The agent was rather quick to pick up on that.

"Don't play dumb, the Ambrose plant in Virginia. We know for a fact you're responsible! Your prints were found on the scene, that's hard evidence Whitmore, indisputable! You'll be behind bars so fast it'll make your head spin! So spare us all the hassle and just tell us what you were after!" Ford threatened, his voice low and hostile.

Simon looked taken aback by the sudden rush of information, his eyes wide with shock and his mouth opening to speak; though no words managed to form right away.

"I-I'm sorry agent...but I don't know what you're talking about…really" Simon pleaded.

Kade's stomach bottomed out, hearing a near pitiful whine in his voice. An icy chill danced across her veins, forming goose-bumps across her flesh when she read him; there was no possible way!

"Still wanting to use that card huh? I guess you're used to it working. After the shit you pulled in the past, you should have been put on death row…makes me sick to think that the whole "insanity" act still gets people off scott free!" Ford hissed, clearly getting agitated.

"That…that's not-" Simon stammered.

"You honestly think we haven't read up on you Whitmore?" Ford sneered.

"Please stop calling me that" Simon pleaded, sounding hurt by the very mention of the name.

"Your track record is miles long, and that's just what they were able to prove. Of course, there's also that affiliation you had with that cult…God, Williams what did they call themselves?" Ford groaned, feigning ignorance for a moment.

"The Triad" Williams answered flatly.

Kade thought she was going to break skin, drawing her knuckles tighter.

"Ah yea…as if one whack job wasn't enough, you had to go and round up a whole troop of em. Bunch of circus freaks from my understanding"

"They weren't circus freaks" Kade mumbled under her breath.

"What?" Ford snipped, turning back to face her.

She froze, swallowing hard, realizing that she had spoken her own thoughts; and that everyone in the room was now staring at her in a mix of annoyance and bewilderment…Simon included. Kade shrugged it off, averting her gaze away from them. Bucky managed to pull a dumbfounded look away from her, wondering what prompted her to speak out like that. It wasn't exactly like they owed anything to the Triad, being as most of their members tried to kill them, save for the few that helped them take Simon off his soap box. It dawned on him moments later that Kade's birth parents were former members; but why get so defensive...she never got a chance to know them.

"Nothing" she quipped.

Ford clicked his tongue against his teeth in irritation, turning back to Simon. Bucky was really starting to see what Kade disliked about this guy.

"It doesn't matter anyway, it's just another pile of dirt for the jury to bury you with Whitmore" Ford smirked.

"I told you, please stop calling me that" Simon begged, clenching his fists and lowering his head enough to hide his eyes.

"What's the matter? It's the name you were born with!" Williams spat.

"That doesn't mean I deserve it" Simon retorted.

She was at a loss for both thoughts and air for a moment, taking in what he just said. His thoughts were as confusing as his behavior. He was guilty, she was sure of it…at least she thought she was. Ford let out a low sigh, abruptly standing up, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his jacket and casually walking to Simon's side of the table.

"You don't deserve a lot of things…and you sure as hell don't deserve special treatment after everything you've done" Ford growled, partially seating himself on the table right next to Simon.

Simon opened his mouth to speak, but was quickly silenced as Ford continued talking.

"In any case, we can sit her flapping our jaws back and forth, but in the end it's gonna go one of two ways, neither of which really work out in your favor, so how about we stop wasting time, and skip right to the ending huh? Option one, you give me a confession, written, right here right now. You also give me the identity and whereabouts of your two partners, and there's a small chance I might be able to guarantee life in prison. I wouldn't really hold my breath on the chance of parole, but hey, it's better than death row right?..."

The sudden enthusiasm in Ford's voice had Kade sick to her stomach.

"…But then there's option two. That's the one where you keep going with your little innocent charade. You're put in front of a judge, fake a vicious mental breakdown like you did last time, you're shot up with drugs and shipped off to Greenbriar to spend the rest of your miserable life in a padded room. However, the district attorney isn't gonna be satisfied with that, they're gonna need someone to take responsibility for the crime…and that's where the next of kin comes into play" Ford stated, smirking.

Both Bucky and Kade snapped their attention to Ford, an equal look of confusion stamped on their faces.

"W-What?" Simon stammered, visibly taken aback.

"She's guilty by association now, and not even her Avenger status could get her out of it…no matter who she hires to fight it. That's a twenty five to life sentence she'll serve in your place… _Simon_ " Ford threatened.

"No, you can't!" Simon begged, attempting to stand before Ford forced him back down by the shoulder.

Kade saw Bucky take a step forward, his shoulders tensed, and she could hear the metallic whine of his arm. Williams shot to his feet, trying his best to serve as an intimidating block for the soldier. She turned her gaze to Ford as he pushed himself from the table, walking behind Simon's chair and leaning over his shoulder; bracing himself with the back of the chair. Unbeknownst to anyone in the room, her eyes flickered as they narrowed.

"What the hell?" Bucky growled.

"Social services will take the kids of course, it would be rather irresponsible of us to leave them in the care of a father with such a violent history" Ford smirked, ignoring Bucky completely.

Williams took another step in front of Bucky, nearly coming nose to nose with him.

"I advise you get out of my face" Bucky hissed, gritting his teeth.

The agent held his ground, hiding the thought that he might be biting off more than he could chew.

"Those kids won't ever see their parents again…I'll make sure of that" Ford remarked, nearly purring as he spoke.

Simon was shaking, his hands clenched so tightly together; his eyes glassy with tears.

"You smug son of a bitch" Bucky snarled, pulling his right fist back as if readying to deck Williams.

"Don't get riled Bucky…he's just bluffing" Kade remarked calmly.

The silence that filled the room was deafening, and all eyes shifted to her direction. Ford looked ready to kill as he stood up, narrowing his eyes dangerously at Kade. Simon lowered his head again, sighing heavily, relaxing his hands as the shaking came to a stop.

"Oh you think I'm bluffing princess? We'll see if you sing the same tune when I put you in cuffs" he laughed.

"You can threaten me with an arrest all you want, you won't be able to hold me on a bullshit charge" she retorted, letting her arms fall to her sides as she pushed herself from the corner, staring him down with a heated glare.

"Bullshit!?"Ford spat angrily.

"The only way I could even be considered guilty by association is if I had contact with him in the past five years…which I haven't. That was silently implemented several years ago, not a fact made known to the general public so that pricks like you could still use it as leverage. You want to try it, be my guest, but I'd think it through a little harder first, because if you do, I will personally see to it that your career never recovers... _and that_...we know is fact"

Ford audibly grit his teeth, and a vein could be seen extending over his forehead; visibly livid.

"Who the hell do you think you are!? How could you know that?" he hissed.

"Because she read your mind" Simon answered softly.

Kade's breath hitched and she diverted her eyes to him, much like everyone in the room. Again the silence wrapped around the room tight enough to choke someone.

"What…did you say?" Ford growled.

"She's probably been doing it the entire time…reading my mind too…"

Simon inched his head upward, as if scared to look at Kade.

"…It's the only reason I'm not dead yet, right?...I know you don't want it to be true…but you know I'm innocent" he finished, his voice wavering with fear.

It felt as if something in the form of restraint snapped in her mind, and a surge of energy went through her veins like pure electricity.

"To hell with this, I have half a mind to-"

"Get out" Kade seethed, cutting Ford off effortlessly.

"Who the fuck do you think you're talking to!?" Ford barked.

"I said GET OUT!" Kade snarled, slamming her fist backward into the wall; her eyes going a bright blue.

Both Ford and Williams went rigid, their eyes flashing a bright blue as well. In an instant, they turned docile, moving toward the door like they were in a trance; nearly dragging their feet as they walked.

"You too Bucky" she stated calmly.

He turned to her, eyes laced with worry and about to protest her instruction.

"I'll be fine…I need to do this on my own" she assured, turning her eyes to Simon.

Bucky hesitated a moment, practically forcing himself to move. He was concerned, but it was misplaced. She was more than capable of handling herself, especially against someone who was otherwise helpless; Simon however was an entirely different story.

The moment he cleared the room, the door slammed shut behind him and he heard the distinctive click of the handle; locking him and the agents out. Ford and Williams stopped in their tracks, suddenly glancing around like they were lost until catching sight of the soldier behind them. Ford wheeled around, visibly distraught.

"What the hell just happened!? How-" He cut himself off, eyes going wide as he lunged for the door, trying to force the handle.

"What in god's sake does she thinks she's doing!?" Ford howled, slamming his fist against the door repeatedly.

"She's getting the truth her own way" Bucky replied, folding his arms across his chest as he stepped toward the window.

Ford ceased his pounding against the door, stepping over in front of the window, his breath ragged.

"Fuck that! She's just interfered with a federal investigation, that's-"

"Jesus Christ! Shut the fuck up!" Bucky spat, taking a threatening step toward the agent.

Ford flinched back, his hand going for the gun strapped to his belt when he froze, staring Bucky down as if waiting for the soldier to make another move. Williams came around to Bucky's flank, a hand on his gun as well. Seconds felt like hours, nobody moved, hostile glares were exchanged, but it was Bucky who relaxed first, finding no point in being baited by Ford; never-mind the guy probably deserved it.

The soldier turned his attention back to Kade and Simon, seeing that neither of them had moved either, but even at this distance he could see the tight grip of Simon's hands, his head lowered down with strands of hair covering his eyes; trembling like a leaf in the wind. It wasn't that surprising, since Simon likely knew more about the power of the stone than he originally let on six years ago, he knew that being locked in a room with the one person who wanted him dead more than anyone else on the planet, was probably not going to work out in his favor.

"She screws this up…and I will make due on what I said in there…I will tear your family apart" Ford warned, stepping up to the window again; his arms folded across his chest.

Bucky steeled himself and ignored him.

* * *

She stepped quietly up to the side of the table, leaning forward and resting the weight of her upper body against her hands as they pressed against the surface of the table, lowering her head and letting strands of hair fall around the sides of her face; not saying a word.

The display was un-nerving for him, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't stop shaking. He pulled his tongue across his dry lips, swallowing hard and attempting to speak. His words failed him, along with his voice, leaving him to close his gaping mouth feeling ten times smaller than he did before.

"You got something you want to say? I suggest you say it now" she seethed.

He flinched, struggling to muster up enough saliva to coat his dry throat, willing himself to speak with every fiber of his being.

"What good would it do? Nothing I say…will make a difference…not really"

"Say it anyway"

There was a moment of silence, but that clock on the wall was suddenly much louder than it had been moments before; at least to Kade anyway.

"I'm sorry" he breathed.

She didn't move, and it felt like her entire body just shut down and rebooted. He was apologizing!? Confusion wrapped around her mind like a vice, and it seemed the only outlet that could be translated for it at the present time was anger. Without warning she pulled away and grabbed hold of the side of the table, slinging it up and over to the other side of the room where it crashed violently into the wall.

Simon tucked his hands to his chest, eyes wide with fear as she stepped toward him, grabbing a handful of his shirt and practically forcing him to his feet as she pushed him backward; his chair clattering to the floor and jamming between the back of his right leg and the wall. Kade pinned him there so forcefully that he felt the pressure of her hand against his collarbone, forcing the tiniest yelp of pain from his lips.

"You're sorry!? After everything you've done, you're sorry!?" she hissed, her brows furrowed against narrowed eyes.

He said nothing, grabbing hold of her assaulting hand in some attempt to give himself leeway against the pain she was currently inflicting.

"How dare you even think that I would ever forgive you! You murdered our parents, you put my son in danger, you tried to kill us, and you think that by saying you're sorry it's gonna make it all better!?"

Simon stiffened against her, then slowly started to relax, letting his hands fall to his sides, closing his eyes.

"It never will…nothing I do can atone for what I've done…I know that now" he muttered, his voice breaking.

Kade's breath lodged in her throat as he opened his eyes, seeing tears brimmed at the corners. She released him instantly, watching as he fell to the floor in a heap, barely catching himself with his hands to keep from hitting his head.

"What are you trying to pull? Don't think for a second that your little water works show and a sappy dialog about feigned guilt is gonna-…I'm not buying your act" she growled.

"I'm telling the truth!..." he pleaded, turning his head to meet her eyes; tears streaming down his face.

"…not a day goes by that I regret what I've done to you…"

"Stop it" she warned softly, lowering her eyes to the floor; clenching her fists.

"…the one person who could have given me peace, is the person I've hurt the worst"

"I said STOP!" she spat, reaching down and grabbing hold of his shirt again, forcing him down to his back.

The fear in his glassy eyes was easily read, and his hands were desperate against her grip as she hovered over him; using her own weight to keep him down.

"I'm not playing your games anymore Simon, do you understand!?" she growled.

"That's not-"

"I came here to get the truth, and I will do it, with or without your cooperation"

"No! Please Kade!"

The fight in him was gone the instant she raised her hand to his face, pressing her thumb into the center of his forehead; her eyes fading completely blue. It took only a literal time frame of seconds for her to get what she needed out of him, abruptly releasing him and stumbling back; teetering slightly. Simon let out a low, painful groan, reaching up to cradle his head in his hands, rolling over to his stomach and laying listless in the floor.

* * *

Bucky looked on, his nerves tingling with worry, watching her stand there motionless; staring at him. The thought crossed his mind, as to what she might have seen, and if it might have been the excuse she needed to end his life. She suddenly threw her head back, letting loose an aggravated growl. The furniture in the room was suddenly thrust to the walls and the window exploded into a web of cracks, startling Bucky; the agents flinching back several steps.

"The fuck was that!?" Ford snipped.

Before the soldier could open his mouth, the door came flying open, and Kade came out, ignoring them completely as she strode down the hall. Bucky wasted no time in rushing after her, as did Ford.

"Hey! What did you do to him!?" he barked.

She didn't even falter in her steps, keeping silent.

"I'm talking to you damn it!" he hissed, reaching up and grabbing her shoulder roughly.

Bucky didn't have a chance to plant his fist into the agent's spine before Ford was abruptly slung into the wall; pinned there by an unseen force. He caught Williams out of the corner of his eye, coming up on his flank with his gun drawn. The soldier wheeled around, catching Williams by the wrist with his right hand, twisting the agent's arm around his back and forcing him against the wall. Williams let out a strangled bark of pain, dropping his weapon as Bucky tightened his grip.

"You're both done! Assaulting a federal officer will put you in prison for life!" Ford threatened, trying to fight against Kade's hold.

"That's providing you say anything about it" Kade purred, turning to face him.

"If you think you can scare me into keeping quiet about this, you've got another thing coming!" he seethed.

"You'll keep quiet, because neither of you were ever here…" she remarked calmly, her eyes fading over blue.

Bucky saw their eyes flicker again, and Williams went slack in his hold.

"…you never spoke to us because you never saw us. You questioned Simon and several staff members…their story backs the security footage…he's innocent…go bark up someone else's tree" Kade stated; the bright blue of her eyes fading back to normal.

The soldier promptly released Williams, stepping back as the agent looked around bewildered before reaching down to retrieve his gun; holstering it and making his way down the hall. Ford was lowered back to the ground, he too looking rather confused as he followed Williams.

"How long until that wears off?" Bucky asked, walking up to Kade.

"It won't" she answered, forcing an assuring smile.

He stared down at her, sighing as if to give off his obvious concern. She usually wasn't the type to get rattled so easily that it would force her to use her powers like that, so for her to up and mind control two federal agents, then wipe their memories of the event, meant that no matter how much she said she was fine, or what kind of smile she could force…something was wrong.

"We should go" she advised, turning to leave.

Bucky said nothing, following close behind her as they made their way down the hall; an orderly meeting them halfway.

"Is everything alright? I thought I heard shouting" he asked.

"Everything is fine…but he's gonna need an asprin and a nap" Kade replied, gesturing her head toward the evaluation room as she continued walking.


	6. Chapter Six: So Confused

_**So my router apparently died while I was on vacay, and I figured I'd get a chapter or two ready while I waited for a new one...but no...effing writer's block**_

 _**Good news is, the block cleared up about the same time the router came in**_

 _**By the way, it appears I do not function very well without net...rather depressing really**_

 _**Enjoy**_

 **Chapter Six: So Confused**

He kept his eyes on the road, tapping the steering wheel of the car as he contemplated what to say. Not so much of a peep had been exchanged between them since they left Aspen Landing, and after an hour of pure silence, he was ready to punch a hole in the dashboard just to get a reaction out of her. She sat there, slumped down in the seat with her right foot propped up on the dash, staring out the window with her right arm propped up on her right knee.

"So…are you gonna tell me what the hell happened back there?" Bucky asked.

"I helped us dodge the bullet of a federal charge…multiple ones actually" she replied flatly.

"That's not what I meant" he corrected.

She lowered her head briefly, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye. He cocked his head just enough to be able to look at her and keep some attention on the road.

"I half expected you to tear him apart the second he walked in the door, not claim his innocence and send those agents packing" Bucky explained.

Kade laughed pitifully, turning her eyes back to the window, watching the rapidly spinning tires of the SUV they just passed on the highway; feeling some similarity of how her mind was currently working.

"I spent years telling myself that if I ever saw him again, I'd kill him…and I wanted to. I played out a thousand different scenarios in my head of how I would do it…what would hurt the most…but when I saw him, when I read his mind…I don't know, I just…I can't explain it"

He noticed her, gently tapping her fingers against her knee, keeping a painfully slow rhythm. She took a deep, steadying breath; collecting herself.

"He was telling the truth for once…he's innocent" she sighed.

"For Ambrose maybe, but to give him a pass after everything he's done…that's not like you" Bucky advised.

Silence filled the cab for several moments, and even her fingers stilled against her leg. Her mouth went dry, remembering what she saw in Simon's head, and it felt as if speaking was going to take an act of god. Kade swallowed hard, pulling her hand into a fist.

"He sees their faces" she murmured.

"Who?" he asked.

"Simon…he sees the faces of the people he's killed, whose lives he destroyed, he remembers every single one of them…they keep him up at night"

Bucky found himself at a loss as she spoke, feeling an old familiar sense curl around his mind; recalling the days when he first broke free from HYDRA's control.

"…self-inflicted guilt, it's how he's trying to atone for his _sins_ …that's why according to him, he won't be allowed to think otherwise until I forgive him"

"Why you?"

"Because…I'm the one he hurt the most" Kade answered.

It felt as if the floodgates came unhinged, repeating the same words he had said earlier. Kade drove her fist into her knee, growling in irritation as she tossed her head back against the seat, bringing her hands up to cup the top of her head on either side; allowing a misinterpreted smile across her lips.

"I don't know what to do, I hated him…I hated him with every fiber of my being, and it was easy…it was so easy to just build on that rage, and suddenly it's just…this is so confusing" she sighed, leaning forward and covering her face with her hands.

Bucky ran his tongue behind his teeth, trying to keep his attention on the road as he thought back to a time where he felt the exact same sense of confusion.

"I know what you're going through" he stated.

Kade turned her head to face him, pulling her hands down far enough to expose the top half of her face as he continued speaking.

"I waited eight years for you to come back to D.C, and five of those years I spent not knowing if you were alive or dead. All those years of pent up frustration and worry, and when I finally find you, I find out I have a son that I never knew about…God I was so mad at you. I had seriously contemplated on returning to New York, and never looking back. But when you came outside, and I saw that look on your face…all that frustration, all that anger…was just gone, and the only thing I wanted to do was hold you. So yea… I know what it feels like to have all that emotion just disappear in an instant"

Kade exhaled slowly, straightening herself to sit back in the seat, resting her elbow on the door and cradling her head in her hand.

"I don't think this is the same circumstance Bucky…I didn't try to kill you back then" she sighed.

"No, but you did shoot me in the neck with a dart gun" he joked.

She scoffed, turning an amused glare at him.

"I seem to recall you shooting me first" she argued.

Bucky laughed softly, and felt that small glimmer of relief to hear her do the same if only for a moment; anything to get her mind off of Simon. Kade turned her attention back out at the landscape as it blurred by, cradling her chin in her hand.

"All things aside, we now have three unidentified enhanced that are still unaccounted for, and we don't even know who they are or what they want…save for the fact they're obviously trying to frame him" she stated flatly.

"Old members of the Triad maybe, wanting revenge?" Bucky stated, offering ideas.

"Possibly, it would make sense as to how his prints got on the scene if Josh wasn't the only one with his particular ability"

"And what ability was that?"

"Shape-shift into anyone he touched"

"Oh yea…that one" Bucky grumbled.

"They get a teleporter to help get them inside the building" Kade remarked.

"And a super strength to fight off the guards and ensure their escape" Bucky added.

There was a brief moment of silence before Kade continued.

"Say it is the Triad, it still doesn't add up though. If they were wanting revenge, they would do everything in their power to make sure he's released so they can kill him themselves…they gain nothing by pushing him into a life sentence" she stated.

Bucky let loose a heavy sigh, seeing the small flaw in his earlier theory. The Triad may have worked under the radar back in the day, but they were not aside from theatrics; or getting their hands dirty for that matter.

"We'll figure it out soon enough. Right now I think it's best if we present it to the team, get some fresh eyes on it" Bucky advised.

Kade stiffened slightly at the idea, her mind reeling back to the conversation she had with Holt a few days earlier. She was expecting more time in Russia, waiting for the right chance to tell him, and now that said chance was here; but it still wasn't going to be easy. Kade swallowed her nerve like a bitter pill, her heart against her ribs as an uneasy feeling circled her stomach…this wasn't going to easy at all. She looked down at the floorboard, clasping her hands together in her lap, breathing in deep as she prepared to speak.

"Bucky…there's something I need to tell you…something I probably should have told you a long time ago"

"What?" he asked.

"I think…I think the stone is giving me the power of premonition, and it's been trying to warn me for a while that something bad is gonna happen"

"How long is a while?"

"…A few years" Kade answered shamefully.

"A few years!? And you're just now telling me about it!?" he questioned, his voice elevated slightly in response to his shock.

"I wasn't trying to keep it as a secret, I just wanted to figure out what I was dealing with"

"Damn it Kade, that's why we got married, that's why we became Avengers…so you don't have to shoulder this shit on your own"

"I'm aware of that, but I didn't want to put everyone on high alert over something I didn't understand. I'm not about to be the girl who cried wolf…I'm sorry"

There was an uneasy silence between them for a few minutes, and she could hear his slow and steady breathing; clearly he was restraining himself as usual. It surprised her how much control he had over his temper now, especially since she remembered how he used to be. He was so easily triggered, that even the slightest miss-step in words could get you shot. Kade was not aside from admitting she was likely the influence behind his taming, but she was certain their children were just as much a factor.

"Alright, given the circumstance there's really nothing we can do about it now, just…no more secrets, okay?" he stated sternly.

"Deal" she replied.

Kade flinched slightly, startled when he reached over and grabbed her hand, lacing his fingers between hers and holding it tight. It was almost as if he flipped her switch, calming her in an instant. She felt herself relax into the seat, exhaling slowly as if expunging all the tension she had been carrying the past few years.

"We'll get through this, we always do" he assured.

* * *

JB twisted the cloth in his hands, wringing out the excess water back into the bowl before he pressed the cool cloth against Connie's forehead. Her face had become much paler than usual, even her lips had lost their color. She had been in a constant state of unconsciousness since they escaped the plant, which worried him just as much as her ragged breathing; which had gotten considerably slower in the past two days.

In truth, he was surprised they had managed to stay hidden for so long. Three days had passed since they arrived, and even several miles away from the plant, the roads were still crawling with cops and feds. It didn't help that every news station in the area continuously aired updates about it, blasting horrid hand drawn sketches of the "attackers" that looked nothing like them; it still alerted everyone to be on the lookout for two men and a woman traveling together…which made things incredibly difficult for them.

He was going stir crazy, holed up in a run-down hotel room, trying to look after his sister while Simon was doing his best to keep them fed and out of sight. JB dipped the cloth back into the bowl, lost in his thoughts as it soaked up the water and drifted just below the surface. They needed to get to New York, they needed to do what they came here for…they needed to stop that monster from carrying out his mission.

Nausea bubbled up in the pit of his stomach, causing a bitter taste to surface on his tongue. He cringed, swallowing hard to steel himself while his insides churned, threatening to expel what little breakfast he managed to eat. The sound of a key entering the room door had him on edge in an instant, and he vaulted to his feet, fists clenched and ready for a fight. As the door came open, filling the room with blinding sunlight, a figure came into view, quickly shutting the door behind him.

"Simon" JB breathed, sitting back down on the corner of the bed.

"Sorry it took so long, you have no idea how hard it is to keep from being seen when your face is on T.V every five minutes" he grumbled, tossing a paper takeout bag onto the other bed.

"I got a couple sandwiches if you're hungry" Simon added, gesturing his head toward the bag.

"I'm not hungry" JB replied quietly, leaning forward to rest his face in his hands.

Simon walked up to the bed, kneeling down beside Connie and gently turning her wrist to check the device, letting out a heavy sigh to see the small screen remaining black. He shifted his fingers below it, pressing against her skin as he stilled himself.

"Why isn't she waking up?" JB asked, pulling his hands away from his face to look at them; his leg fidgeting.

"I don't know, her power level still hasn't recovered…and her pulse is getting weaker" Simon stated, releasing her wrist and getting to his feet and walking toward the T.V; cupping his hands over the lower half of his face.

"She's dying" he whispered.

"What!?" JB spat, jumping back to his feet quick enough to induce another surge of nausea.

"How the hell is she dying!?" he howled.

"Probably because she's depleted her powers in the jump"

"No, there's no way. She trained for years to do this, so she could make the fifteen year mark!" JB argued.

"She didn't make a fifteen year jump she made a twenty" Simon retorted, turning to face JB.

JB felt ready to swallow his tongue if it meant easing the sudden dryness in his mouth. Simon looked back at him with a heartfelt sorrow in his eyes; he's known all along.

"What?" JB rasped, unable to find any other words at the current time.

Simon exhaled raggedly, resting his hands on his hips, lowering his eyes to the floor in some manner of shame.

"I saw the date on the newspapers yesterday morning…she took us back four years before the attack, and five before…" Simon trailed off, knowing JB would be able to figure out the rest on his own.

The boy teetered back and flopped on the bed with the least amount of grace possible, his head swimming and the urge to vomit teasing at the back of his tongue. As if he were moving in slow motion, he leaned forward, propping his elbows up on his knees and cradling his head in his hands; trying his best to keep breathing.

"How?" JB asked, his voice only a strained whisper.

"I don't know the full details about teleporter time travel, what I do know, is that her pulse is only getting weaker…she may have another forty eight hours before she slips into a coma and dies"

"No, there's gotta be another way…" JB rasped.

He suddenly hitched his breath, darting wide eyes up to Simon with the smallest glimmer of hope.

"…What about the supplements? Your injections-"

"They won't work" Simon retorted, cutting JB off.

"They worked for you!" JB spat.

"Because my power was stripped, not depleted…and it took six years to get what little I have, she doesn't have that kind of time!"

"So you're telling me, that I have no other choice, but to just stand here and watch her die?" JB growled, getting to his feet and walking toward Simon.

Simon was silent for a moment, taking a deep breath and avoiding eye contact as if contemplating on whether or not to mention the idea that just crossed his mind.

"This is one other way…but you're not gonna like it…"

JB's initial anger quickly became confusion as Simon cleared his throat.

"…or rather I'm not" he finished.

It took only seconds for the confusion to be replaced with realization, and quickly followed by denial.

"No" JB quipped.

"She has the ability to save her"

"No, no, no, she'll kill you the second she sees you!" JB hissed.

"That's a risk I'm gonna have to take!" Simon barked.

JB turned on his heels, starting a nervous pace between Simon, and the nightstand between the beds, running his hands up to cup either side of his head as if to help himself think.

"Look, we are faced with two options here. Option one, we risk exposure, Connie lives and we just improvise the rest. Option two, we lay low for five years, keep our cover, but in return, she dies…the choice is up to you" Simon stated, trying to keep his voice firm.

JB continued pacing, his labored breathing matched by the torn look on his face as his eyes bounced between Connie and Simon.

"What's it gonna be?" Simon asked.

As JB turned toward the nightstand, he stopped, slowly lowering his hands down to his sides, looking down at Connie, hearing the slow ragged breaths pass her barely parted lips; the eerie look of death like sleep on her face.

"How long does it take to get to New York?" JB asked.

* * *

The last few rays of sun blanketed the suburbs in a bright orange, giving way to the deep blue of the steadily darkening sky. Kade sat in one of the patio chairs on the back porch, nursing on a small glass of scotch; her eyes transfixed on Constance as she ran exuberantly around the back yard…avoiding her lumbering older brother the best she could. Kade's mind drifted off into her own thoughts, so much so that she never heard the distinctive sound of the sliding glass door coming open behind her.

"Dinner should be here in about twenty minutes" Bucky remarked.

Kade flinched violently, nearly dropping her glass as Bucky made his way to the chair next to hers, leaving the door open.

"Whoa, easy…are you okay?" he asked, watching her cautiously as he took his seat; a beer in hand.

"I'm fine, I just…spaced out is all" she defended, bringing the glass to her lips to take a sip.

"You've been doing a lot of that lately"

She ignored the observation, watching as Jamie snatched Constance up in his arms, pretending to take a bite of her; the child screaming into a fit of high pitched laughter.

"You said no more secrets right?" she asked.

Bucky pulled the bottle back to garner a gulp, lowering the bottle to look at her as he swallowed it down; dipping his head to signify an answer he couldn't vocalize.

"Then I tell you what's been on my mind. We can play at it all we want, but this…this is never going to be anything close to normal" she remarked, keeping her voice low enough so the kids wouldn't hear them.

"I thought we already established that"

"Oh come on Bucky, look at us. I have an infinity stone fused in my body, you're a one hundred year old super soldier with a metal arm. We go out there and risk our lives on a continuous basis…every mission carrying the risk that one of us isn't going to come back…"

Bucky lowered his head, staring down at the bottle as he ran his right thumb around the top rim; her words hitting home only because the same thoughts crossed his mind as well.

"…and he puts on a brave face about it, but I know it's stressing Jamie out…and when Constance get old enough to understand, it's gonna do the same thing to her"

"So are you thinking about retiring or something?" he asked.

She was silent for a moment, partially raising her glass as an unreadable smile crossed her lips.

"I've thought about it, yea…but more so about finding a way to get rid of the stone" she answered, taking a sip of scotch.

Bucky went rigid, eyes wide as he straightened his back, staring her down in disbelief.

"Whoa, hold up a second, did you forget what Vision told us? Any attempt to remove the stone might kill you!" he argued.

"But it might not!" she retorted, turning her attention to him.

"And you're willing to take that risk!?" he hissed, his voice raising ever so slightly.

They both shot a glance out to the yard, seeing Jamie and Constance still playing their game of tag; still oblivious to their parent's conversation. Both of them shifted uncomfortably in their seats, while Bucky leaned in closer to keep from being heard.

"Where is this coming from?" he asked.

"It's coming from the constant state of fear I am living in…" she answered, looking over at him.

Bucky wasn't sure if it was the answer that took him by surprise or the look of hurt in her eyes.

"…I'm not even using the full potential of this power because I'm scared to…I'm scared that I'm going to lose control, and everyone is going to pay the price for it" she explained, her voice wavering.

His expression softened, realizing the root of her fear.

"You're scared you're going to become the destroyer...you think that's the cause of the bad feeling" he breathed.

"It's inevitable…this power wasn't meant to be harnessed by someone like me…I'm a time bomb just waiting to go off"

Bucky exhaled sharply, leaning in close as if to devoid her ability to ignore him.

"You think you're not suited, is that it? Well I think there is a reason you were chosen…"

Kade scoffed softly at him, but let him continue.

"…I've watched you come back from the dead, return to earth from galaxies over and everything else in between…given that, I think there is nothing you can't do if you put your mind to it…you were meant to have this power" he remarked sternly.

She snorted through her nose, biting her lip for a moment while she pulled her gaze down to the glass in her hand; the amber colored liquid stilled at the bottom.

"I'm meant to be the hope of the universe or the bane of its existence…and I still don't know which one I am" Kade laughed, pulling her eyes skyward; seeing the dim glimmer of stars that peered out in the dusk.

"I do" he stated calmly.

"That kind of faith might get you killed" she warned, looking back at him.

"So be it, that's my choice" he retorted.

Kade opened her mouth to protest, but he quickly interjected.

"Hey, I made a vow remember?...to stay by your side, no matter what…I'm not breaking that, not in a million years" he stated.

She scoffed at him, leaning back in her chair and sighing in defeat. If Bucky was anything aside from persistent, he was stubborn…and arguing with him once he's made up his mind was like arguing with a brick wall.

"How do you always know what to say?" she asked, bringing her attention back to the kids.

He leaned away, following her cue in his own chair as he raised his bottle.

"I don't actually…I just…say whatever comes to mind" he replied, taking a small swig of beer.

Kade laughed softly, shaking her head as she polished off the last bit of her own drink. Their moment of peace was quickly interrupted by the sound of the doorbell, ringing through the house.

"It's only been five minutes, there's no way that's them" he remarked.

"It's probably one of the neighbors checking up after hearing her screaming" Kade groaned, setting her glass next to her chair, getting to her feet and heading for the back door.

"Well be sure to tell them that we're not killing our kids…they're doing just fine killing each other"

She shot him an annoyed glare as she walked inside, heading past the kitchen and toward the front door. Kade rubbed her hands over her eyes, clearing away any sign that she had gotten just a little emotional moments earlier. She took a steadying breath as she reached the door, opening it abruptly with the expectation of seeing one of her neighbors. Her expectations were drastically wrong when she laid eyes on the man standing just a few feet away. Kade's breath stopped in her throat and it felt as if her heart shot up to join it. She couldn't move, couldn't speak and couldn't take her eyes off of him. He seemed to bear an extremely concerned expression, raising his hands up innocently as if she had drawn a gun on him.

"Kadence, I know given the circumstance, this is unexpected and maybe a little awkward…but please just let me explain" he pleaded.

When words finally formed over her tongue, it seemed to take forever to just speak his name.

"Simon…"


	7. Chapter Seven: Who Are You?

_**I don't think I can apologize enough for leaving you guys hanging for so long. I fell on some pretty rotten times and it just utterly killed my desire to write, however, I did not want to abandon a story that isn't finished**_

 _**I know this one is super short, but I'm still trying to get my mojo back without screwing it up. Please be patient**_

 _**Realized I goofed a bit on the time line. I projected Connie's age to be in the early twenties in the beginning without thinking through the jump. She is in fact about 26, rather than 22 as originally quoted. Apologies for that**_

 _**Enjoy!**_

 **Chapter Seven: Who Are You?**

A howl of pain erupted from the front of the house, and Bucky felt his blood curdle at the sound of it.

"Shit" he hissed, dropping his beer on the floor and bolting out of his seat.

"Dad!" Jamie called, running up to the porch.

"Stay here with your sister!" Bucky ordered, racing past the kitchen and toward the front door.

She had her back to him as he approached the doorway, and another cry of pain echoed out from the porch. His skin crawled for a brief moment, coming up to her side and looking down at the man on the ground just a foot away from the steps, writhing around like a wounded animal. Bucky opened his mouth to voice a bit of reason until recognition took hold, seeing Simon was the man on the ground.

Despite the obvious, something still seemed off. He looked older, years older in fact, which confused him more than the fact that he was at their home. Getting out of Aspen was one thing, but being able to figure out where they lived was something else entirely.

"Wait, stop!" a voice called.

Bucky raised his attention to a young man bolting toward them, the soldier leaping into action as he lunged forward, meeting the stranger a few feet from the steps. The moment they collided, Bucky knew he wasn't normal. The sheer force of strength nearly pushed him back before he dug his feet into the ground; holding him at bay.

It took a few seconds for the soldier to register the facial features of the stranger, and for a brief moment, he felt a pang of familiarity; as if he knew this man. The stranger, however, didn't bother looking at him, as it seemed his frantic gaze was directed at Kade; who still had Simon crippled on the ground.

"Please, I'm begging you, don't kill him!" the stranger pleaded.

"I should have known…you lying piece of shit!" Kade seethed.

Simon let out another howl of pain, twisting around on the ground while he cradled his head with both hands; as if to keep it from exploding.

"He's not a liar, please it's not what you think!" the stranger begged, the distress in his voice clear as day.

"He brought us here because he knew you were the only one that could help us!" he pleaded.

Kade's radiating blue eyes shot up to the stranger, brows furrowed in anger.

"You're the ones from the plant" Kade seethed.

The stranger suddenly reeled backward, grabbing hold of his head and letting out a growl of pain as he went to his knees.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you both right here!" Kade demanded.

While Simon continued to writhe and twist, the stranger seemed to take the abuse as if it were just a bad migraine, which both fascinated and worried Bucky.

"If you…don't help us…my sister is gonna die" the stranger panted, struggling to look up at them.

There was a brief flicker of guilt in her eyes as Kade stared down the stranger, even as the anger boiled inside her, searing through her veins like acid. It was obvious that they meant trouble, so why was it suddenly a struggle to decide whether or not to end them both on the front lawn with several of their neighbors spectating from the safety of their homes; after all, when your neighbors are abnormally powerful members of the Avengers…you're less inclined to make yourself noticed.

She turned her eyes back to Simon, finding herself at a moral dilemma, in which she was wanting to kill him, yet unable to find a reason to…again. Kade curled her lip and let out a ragged, yet aggravated sigh, lowering her hand and releasing the both of them from her control. The stranger exhaled sharply, shaking his head as if to regain his bearings while he slowly got back on his feet. Simon, however, groaned in agony, barely able to muster the ability to roll onto his belly.

"Your sister, where is she?" Kade snipped.

The stranger made a motion toward the street, where a car sat on the opposite side.

"Bring her inside" she ordered.

Without further hesitation, the stranger turned on his heel and made his way toward the car; albeit with a wobbly start. Kade looked down at Simon, swallowing hard and clenching her fists.

"Bucky, get him out of my sight before I talk myself into killing him" she warned through gritted teeth.

Bucky watched intently as she turned on her heel and walked back inside, exhaling heavily through his nostrils as he moved toward Simon, bending down and grabbing the man by the upper arm, hoisting him less than gently to his feet; the latter groaning miserably as he was practically dragged toward the backyard.

* * *

Kade made her way inside, her mind still reeling as she saw Jamie coming toward her from the kitchen; Constance in tow.

"Mom, what's going on?" he asked, the edge of panic in his eyes and voice.

"Charlie protocol, now" she responded sharply.

Jamie needed no further instruction, stopping in his tracks to scoop his still confused sister into his arms, hoisting her up to carry her as he made a straight line for the stairs, bounding up them with little effort. Kade rested her hands on her hips for a moment, lowering her head and taking a deep breath through her nose, holding it briefly before exhaling slowly; trying to keep calm. Her heart beat didn't seem to falter, neither did the surge of adrenaline that seemed to run like fire under her skin.

There was a tick in the back of her mind, practically screaming at her, that the stranger in the yard was closer to home than she first anticipated. She shook it off as best she could, feeling that familiar tingle run rampant through her nerves, the hair on her neck standing on end; her power seeming to claw mercilessly at the cage door…desperately wanting out. Cloudy images flashed in her eyes, images of a city razed, death at every corner, and a figure with radiating blue eyes standing in the center of the destruction; which did nothing to calm her ever rising blood pressure.

Her attention was diverted upon the sound of someone coming into the house. Kade turned to see the stranger carefully step forward, a young woman in his arms; seemingly unconscious. She looked maybe mid-twenties, dirty blonde hair and her skin tone abnormally pale. It was the overall look of this girl that sent a chill up her spine…it was almost like looking into a mirror.

"Put her in the living room" Kade rasped.

The stranger nodded, turning abruptly to his right and into the room. She followed, eyeing him cautiously as he rested the girl on the couch with all the care in the world, going so far as to push the strands of hair from her sweat stained face. She looked beyond unconsciousness at this point, she looked as if she were in pain, and Kade could barely hear the strained and shallow breathing that passed her pale lips.

"What's wrong with her?" Kade asked, her voice barely resurfacing.

"She's been unconscious for three days, I can't get her to wake up" he replied.

"Why haven't you taken her to a hospital?"

"Because they can't help her!" he snipped.

"And why is that?"

He snapped his head in her direction, eyes frantic and his mouth open as if to speak but he held his tongue, taking a breath to calm himself before he attempted words.

"Because…she has the X-gene" he responded.

Kade held her breath for a second, though she didn't know why. It wasn't like it came as some surprise, they had first anticipated that one, if not both of them were super human; on top of the fact that they weren't the first ones they crossed since her fusion with the stone.

"What does that have to do with anything? Why are you convinced I can help her and a hospital can't?" She asked.

"She's exhausted her power…it's beyond anything a hospital can do"

She rolled her eyes in exasperation, crossing her arms over her chest, finally glaring at him with a silent demand for him to explain. The stranger swallowed nervously, as if trying to shake the image that he was quickly intimidated by her display; composing himself just as promptly.

"Think of it this way…a super human's power is like a battery. They use a little here and there, it's fine, it recoups itself…but if you use too much at once, it drains it to nothing…and what do you think happens when the battery dies?" he explained.

Kade shifted her gaze to the girl laying on the couch, her strained breathing the only indicator she was still alive. The urge to help her was hard to ignore, as was that tick that continued to scratch at the back of her mind. She sighed in aggravation, stepping forward and kneeling down in front of the couch.

"You better know what you're doing, because I sure as hell don't" she grumbled.

"Yes, you do…you just haven't done it yet" he remarked.

She tossed him a look that crossed between confusion and hostility, and the question rattled her; how does he know so much about what she might be capable of? Kade took a deep breath, gingerly bringing her hands up over the girl, as if she were scared to touch her at first; finally resting one hand over her forehead and the other over her abdomen. Her skin was cool and clammy, which sent a shiver down Kade's spine, like she was able to feel her life force ebbing off of her…so close to death it wasn't funny.

Kade closed her eyes, focusing on what? She didn't really know. She knew there was really no limit to the stone's power, but to revive a super human's power…was the complete opposite of what she was used to. She breathed in deep again, exhaling slowly, a mantra echoing in her head to stay on point. Suddenly, a rush of electric surged down her arms and into her hands. Kade could feel that presence all over her body, rooting down into the depths of her very soul.

She opened her eyes, her iris' a radiating blue as a similar colored mist coated her hands, seeming to pulse into the girl's body with each beat of Kade's heart. The feeling itself was exhilarating, tapping into the stone usually was, running along each nerve with a euphoric edge that was like a personal high. Just as soon as the good feelings surfaced, so did the rush of images. A stinging pain radiated from the back of her skull, forcing the rest of her body to go rigid, while the ability to breath became extremely difficult.

Kade saw images of herself, bloody and screaming, an infant in Bucky's arms, and a pair of graves that looked hand dug. More images flooded her senses as she saw a city laid to waste, death in every direction, the sky spotted with strange air crafts, and seemingly at the epicenter of the chaos, was a shadowy figure, abnormally colored skin decorated with bright blue linear markings, and eyes radiating the same color blue…staring straight at her.

She howled in pain and lurched backward, her power bursting around the room like a miniature nuke as she severed her tap into the stone; gasping for air and struggling for bearing the moment her back hit the floor. Those images had a sense of familiarity to her own, but vastly different in their own way. They were more vivid, and felt more real than what she was used to, meaning they weren't out of her own head…they were from the girl on the couch. Kade's head swam and consciousness was becoming a valuable effort as she moved to sit up, trying to keep her vision from doubling, looking over at the two.

He too looked to be recovering from the knockback, rushing to the girl's side as she sat up straight, sucking in breaths of air like a fish out of water. The stranger was in a step down from panic, insistent on making sure his female counterpart was alright, but as the latter turned to look at him, Kade's less than stable vision picked up on one very noticeable detail; heterochromatic eyes.

"Who are you?" Kade rasped, barely managing to sit up.

Their attention was drawn to her, and while it was distorted and doubled, Kade saw the look in the girl's eyes, the look of recognition quickly followed by shock and sadness. Her stomach churned violently and a wave of nausea came with it, signaling the longer she tried to stay off the urge to pass out, the stronger the urge to vomit became.

"Who…are…"

She trailed off, suddenly finding a loss for motor function as everything just seemed to dark around her. A child crying out for her mother was the last thing she heard before unconsciousness claimed her. It wasn't the first time she passed out, she practically made a habit of it some fourteen years ago, but what was unexpected was the sudden jolt that pierced her body mere seconds later.

Kade opened her eyes, taking in a sharp, startled breath as she glanced around. She was standing, in what appeared to be a perpetually dark room that had no real matter of definition, yet she herself was plainly visible, as if illuminated by some kind of light. No sooner had the wonder crossed her mind as to what the hell happened, did a voice make itself heard.

"It's been a long time Kadence"

She spun quick to the sound of a feminine voice, taking in the sight of a woman dressed in what looked like animal skins, strapped to her body in tribal fashion. Caramel colored skin decorated in dark blue linear tattoos, dark dreadlocks that reached down to the middle of her back, and eyes just as blue as Kade's, with a look of humor etched across her face.

"Andromeda" Kade breathed in disbelief.


	8. Chapter Eight: He's No Threat

**Chapter Eight: He's No Threat**

 ****Authors Note****

 _First and foremost I'd like to apologize for going on such a long hiatus. By the time things had settled down with personal issues and writers block, I had lost interest in the story and found it next to impossible to continue writing at the time. Truth be told, I realized that I probably shouldn't have even written a second installment, let alone a third. However, I don't much care for having an unfinished story just sitting around. So I've been biting the bullet, per say, to work on it again and finish this piece (once and for all). Chapter uploads may be a bit slow since I'm doing a lot of re-reading to get back on track._

* * *

"What the hell is going on, where are we!?" Kade hissed, instantly on the defensive.

Andromeda let out a hearty laugh, which was rather disconcerting for Kadence, her eyes flashing in every direction of the darkened room; providing it was a room at all.

"You don't recognize it?" Andromeda purred, taking a step toward Kade.

"Should I?"

"We're in your head…though it's understandable you wouldn't recognize it, you've managed to block those memories. Tell me, are you still having trouble sleeping…remembering all the things I did in that body of yours?" she mused, giving Kade a wide berth as she started to circle.

"Shut up…" Kade growled, keeping a leery eye on Andromeda.

"…I thought I got rid of you"

"My soul yes, only because I underestimated your determination, but my spirit…the only way to get rid of that, is to get rid of the stone" Andromeda cooed.

"I'm working on that"

Kade began to pivot, not wanting her back to the woman who was clearly the pestilence of her subconscious.

"Are you now? Then I'm sure you're aware that the only way to rid yourself of it, is to give it an acceptable host in return. Of course your life will become forfeit, as well as the lives of everyone else on this miserable rock, providing you don't flip switch and do it yourself" she laughed.

"I am _not_ , going to turn into you" Kade seethed.

"You're not going to have much choice!" Andromeda spat, advancing up to Kade so quickly that they were nearly nose to nose in seconds.

Kade steeled herself, trying to hold her ground, feeling the ghost of nerves spike the hair on the back of her neck; though she realized it wasn't really happening.

"The stone demands destruction, it demands carnage…but you already know that…don't you? You can feel it on every inch of your body, it comes easier to you now, but you're finding it harder to control. You're losing your grip on it, little by little…and that scares you…doesn't it? You know what it's capable of, what you're capable of, and you know that all it takes it one wrong move and BOOM!..."

Andromeda struck her hands together in front of Kade's face, forcing an uneasy jolt from the latter.

"…everything you love is gone"

Kade let out a slow sigh, taking a step backward to put some distance between her and Andromeda.

"You can try to scare me all you want…I won't let that happen" she assured.

"You won't have much choice. You think the oracle's vision was nothing more than a dream?"

Kade felt her breath catch in her throat, recalling the old woman from the Triad some years back; the warning she bared ringing in her head like a bell.

"Marianna's vision _was_ just a dream, because I stopped it when I stopped you" Kade argued.

"You stopped nothing, you merely postponed it…you will become the destroyer…because if you don't, _he_ will" Andromeda purred, her eyes darting over Kade's shoulder.

She felt an unpleasant chill race down her spine, like the feeling one would get when something dangerous is just an inch away from breathing down your neck. Kade swallowed and turned around, feeling the sudden wash of fear claim her breath, paralyzing her as she looked into a pair of menacing blue eyes belonging to some form of humanoid creature.

It's features were undistinguishable as it reached for her, a hand going for her throat. Kade let out a cry and in an instant she regained the ability to move, suddenly coming up into a seated position, a dying scream fading from her lips while she met with a pair of hands on her wrists to keep her from striking out; one of those hands bearing the cool kiss of metal.

"Whoa, Kade take it easy, it's alright" Bucky soothed.

Her bearings slowly settled around her, though her ragged breathing was not ready to level; the fear and adrenaline still pumping through her blood. Kade darted her attention around the room, quickly establishing that she was still in her home, on the living room couch to be exact, with her husband kneeling next to her trying to keep from getting punched in the face.

"Bucky? Oh god" she sighed in relief.

His hands released her wrists, allowing her to cradle her forehead with one while the other curled over her stomach to quell the rush of nausea that followed the dwindling ache of fear.

"It was just a dream…holy Christ it was all just a dream" she breathed.

She could feel his hand press against her back, slowly rubbing back and forth between her shoulders.

"Not all of it" he stated softly.

The words hit her with the strangest sense of dread and she held her breath for a moment, lowering the hand that held her head and turned to face him, reading the look in his face; something was wrong.

"What do you mean, _not all of it_?" she asked.

Bucky opened his mouth to answer, but his attention was abruptly taken to something behind them. Kade turned toward the living room entryway, and her body stiffened, meeting eyes with Simon, who stopped in his tracks the moment they made contact; going so far as to take a timid step back.

The memories of transpired events rushed back to her, remembering seeing Simon at her doorstep, looking just as leery as he did before. Kade saw red, slinging herself from the couch so quick she nearly fell back over before her center of gravity could be re-established. Bucky caught her around the waist, trying to hold her back against him, to both keeping her from falling over and advancing on Simon.

"Let go of me Bucky" she growled.

"Calm down first" he warned.

"I am calm, and I'm going to calmly tear his head off if you don't mind!" she spat, glaring daggers at Simon as she struggled against Bucky's hold.

"You're upset, it's understandable considering the circumstance" Simon stated, his hands up innocently.

"Upset isn't the word that comes to mind you lying piece of shit!" Kade hissed.

The pair of vases that sat on either side of the entryway suddenly shattered, spraying ceramic pieces in every direction. Simon flinched and recoiled against the explosion, taking another step back; his back against the bannister of the stairs. Kade kept a heated glare on him, unaffected by the fact that her power slipped again. She squirmed further, hearing the whine of his left arm holding her steadfast, which was both aggravating and puzzling at the same time.

"Kade, please just stop" Bucky requested.

"Why are you suddenly protecting him!?" she seethed, turning to glare at him from the corner of her eye.

"Because there's something you need to know first" he answered.

Almost on cue, her attention was brought back to the entryway, as two more appeared from the hall, instantly recognizing both the boy and his counterpart as the ones she helped before she blacked out. Again the girl's eyes struck something deep down, almost on a level of familiarity, as if she were looking into a mirror of her younger self.

The boy also giving her that same feeling, now that she had a chance to dwell on it, and a chill raced down her spine; part of her already putting the pieces together. She felt Bucky's hold finally release her, but she couldn't quite find the urge to move, her desire to decapitate her brother somewhat lower on her priority list with those two present.

"It's them…Jamie and Constance" Bucky breathed.

It was almost like a firework exploded in her head, and she could do nothing but stare at the both of them…Simon's existence a mere void to her. Words jammed themselves into her mouth but she couldn't speak, and she couldn't hear much either with her heartbeat singing in her ears.

"Our kids" he stated, though it came muffled to her.

Kade slowly turned to face him with questioning eyes, finally managing to get words to form in a decent sentence.

"How long was I out?" she asked.

* * *

"Okay, you're saying you came from the future…to stop a war…that hasn't even happened yet?" Kade asked, disbelief lacing her tongue.

Jamie, or JB as he seemed to be called, sighed heavily, his arms crossed over his chest; leaning against the counter beside the fridge. The sun had long since disappeared beneath the horizon, and the overhead kitchen light proved enough to stay off the darkness that loomed outside the windows. Kade was seated at the island, with Bucky standing behind her, while Jamie and Constance stood on the opposite side; Constance taking place closer to Kade. Simon, meanwhile, hugged the far corner of the kitchen, leaning against the wall and keeping to himself as much as possible to avoid unnecessary attention.

"We came back to stop…" JB paused a moment, as if quickly rethinking his words.

"…an unfortunate event…we just came too far back" he explained.

Constance lowered her head sheepishly, looking more like a child that just got scolded by a parent.

"I'm sorry" she stated softly, worrying her lip.

"It's not your fault Connie, stop blaming yourself" JB remarked.

Kade turned her attention to the young woman near her, watching her expression wash into something crossed between excitement and sorrow the minute their eyes met. Her mouth felt dry, recalling the memories she experienced from her future daughter, wanting to pry as to the meaning behind them; what exactly happened in this future of theirs?

"So your x-gene gave you the ability to time jump?" Kade asked.

"Well, not exactly…I'm a teleporter" she answered.

"Teleporter? Isn't that when-"

Bucky's words were cut off when Constance simply disappeared into a wisp of black smoke, appearing beside him with a look of casual humor. He jumped, recoiling a bit to the side with a startled look on his face.

"When we do this?" she chimed

"Yes, that" Bucky affirmed, turning a glare toward Kade.

"She's definitely yours" he quipped, garnering a humored laugh from his wife.

With that, Connie teleported back to her previous spot, bearing a heartfelt smile, gazing lovingly at Bucky and Kade.

"So you just…figured out you had that extra ability?" Kade asked, still smirking.

"No, Uncle Simon was the one who told me it was possible if I honed my power"

" _Uncle_ Simon?" Kade repeated, sounding judgmental on the term.

Connie suddenly shifted uncomfortably against Kade's questioning eyes, as if she said something she wasn't supposed to.

"Considering we didn't even know we had an uncle until he was the only family we had left…yea… _Uncle_ Simon" JB remarked with a condescending tone.

Kadence then turned her eyes to her son, her eye brow raised questionably at his challenge.

"That wasn't resentful at all" she mocked sternly.

"It just would have been nice to know before the end of the world" he argued, holding his ground.

"I had my reasons"

"I know you did, he told us everything…I still think that's an awful long time to hold a grudge"

Kade leaned forward, narrowing her eyes at JB with a humored smirk on her lips.

"You'll have the authority to lecture me about it, when it happens to you…got it?" she warned.

She saw JB steel himself, flexing his jaw as the muscles in his arms shifted and strained, giving her the indication he was trying to control his anger.

"Seriously JB? We haven't seen them in years and the first thing you wanna do is pick a fight?" Connie asked.

"What do you mean years, where the hell are we in all of this?" Bucky asked.

The question seemed to stifle every ounce of life in the room, and the tension that surfaced around them was thick enough to cut. Connie cast a worried gaze at JB, who returned it equally; as if both were unsure of how to answer or secretly figuring out who was going to be the unlucky one to answer. Kade glanced back at Simon, who also looked like he didn't want to speak up about it.

"I'm going to assume the silence translates into _I don't want to know_ " Kade sighed, looking over to Bucky; who wore a similar face of concern.

* * *

Kade walked into the bedroom, carefully closing the door behind her before she made her way to the bed, seating herself on her side and resting her elbows against her knees, burying her face in her hands and letting out a heavy sigh.

"How are the kids?" Bucky asked, leaning against the headboard, otherwise occupied with his phone.

"Which ones?" Kade remarked.

He laughed softly, catching the underlying sarcasm in her voice.

"Constance was already passed out, and Jamie has a world of questions. I told him I'd explain it all tomorrow when I gathered more details…he's content with that answer for now I guess. Did you get ahold of Steve?"

"He's alerting the team, we're expected at the compound with our new friends at first light" Bucky answered, tossing his phone onto the nightstand beside him.

"Terrific…" Kade grumbled, letting her arms go lax and plopping down on the bed, her head resting against his hip.

"…once…just once, I'd like for our family drama to revolve around Jamie getting a D in math or Constance throwing a temper tantrum at the Mall…not time jumping and global destruction" she groaned.

"Well we didn't exactly sign up for normal, remember?" Bucky replied, reaching down and lacing his fingers into her hair.

Kade closed her eyes, relishing in the rush of warm ecstasy that followed when his fingers rubbed gently against her scalp, threatening to lull her straight to sleep.

"Well at least this proves you're not crazy" he mused.

"Elaborate if you would" she growled, not even bothering to open her eyes

"You spent how many years carrying that feeling that something was gonna happen…well I think it's happening" he chuckled.

Kade tilted her head toward him, only opening her eyes enough to narrow them playfully.

"Thanks for that…it's very enlightening" she scoffed.

* * *

"The future?" Steve asked, as if trying to clarify what Kade just told him.

"Yea" she replied, resting her hands on her hips.

It had been a long time since the team was banded together in the meeting room, a relatively small sized conference corner in the Avengers compound. Devoid of any furniture and décor save for the dry erase board that took up the entire left wall. It was designed to be sound proof, which was needed for the current topic of discussion; none of the leads wanting gossip to spread throughout the squadrons.

Kade glanced around the room, catching the curious stares from Wanda, Scott, and Sam. Clint looked lost in his own thoughts, but that wasn't exactly unusual. Natasha stared downward, nibbling on her fingernails; either bored or as deep in thought as Clint. Vision, however, stared intently at her, giving her the impression he was trying to read her mind; Kade learning early on how to block him out when she didn't want him rummaging.

"Can you validate that?" Steve asked.

"I, unintentionally looked into her thoughts…she's Constance, and the things I saw were definitely not from this time period" Kade answered.

"And are you certain they are not a threat?" Wanda asked.

"I'd like to say they're not, but whatever happened in their future changed them…especially Jamie. He's become defensive, and in all honesty they both seem a little secretive" She stated.

"And what about crazy pants here?" Clint mused, gesturing his head behind him.

The team looked over to Simon, who was leaned up against the wall in the corner, looking mildly uneasy about all eyes suddenly being on him.

"He's no threat" Kade replied.

"Somebody get that in writing" Clint mocked, garnering a heated glare from Kadence.

"So the question remains…why go back in time?" Natasha asked.

Kade sighed, returning her attention to Simon; staring him down intently. Simon swallowed hard, taking a step forward and clearing his throat to speak.

"Four years from now…give or take…an alien force invades earth, led by one of the most powerful beings in existence. He calls himself Thanos, and he comes to earth seeking the two infinity stones" Simon explained.

Silence filled the room for a moment as uneasy glances were exchanged, mostly between Vision and Kadence.

"Is he successful?" Vision questioned.

Simon licked his lips, almost looking like he didn't want to answer while he glanced at Kade; the latter catching the hint of remorse in his eyes.

"Yes" he answered simply.

Kade let out a slow exhale, lowering her eyes, her heart skipping a beat as she processed the news, realizing then why she didn't exist in their future. She felt Bucky's metal hand on her shoulder, squeezing gently in means to comfort her. Kade flashed him a reassuring smile, though even she wasn't convinced by the attempt, turning back to look at Simon. His eyes never left her, and she swore she saw the build of tears.

"Over half of the human race was annihilated within the first year. Survivors were forced underground, rebellion forces gathered to mount a counter attack, but it wasn't enough…our numbers dwindled as the years went on. We were part of a strategic force that was nearly a hundred strong…there were five of us in the end…and as for the two we left behind…I can only imagine" he stated, his voice wavering.

It was quiet enough to hear a pin drop, and seconds felt like hours before someone felt the need to break the awkward silence.

"I'm no expert, but I thought it was against the rules to tell us about the future. Doesn't that change everything?" Scott asked.

"Our future has already been determined, nothing we say or do can change that…but yours…telling you what's going to happen may help prevent it from turning out the same way" Simon replied.

"Considering you just gave us a four year head start, I'd say that shouldn't be a problem" Steve remarked.

"I hope you're right" Simon mused, glancing at Kade.

She stared him down, narrowing her eyes intently, trying her way into his mind. Kade saw the images of the ruined city, bodies in every direction, and she saw her children, growing up in a war zone; growing up in that hell. She delved further, careful not to force it, as she saw Bucky rallying survivors, no doubt to lead an assault. There was a sudden, brief image of a being standing before them, pale purple skin etched with linear tattoos and radiating blue eyes; its face twisted in a smirk as Bucky charged it.

Just as quickly as it appeared, the vision went black, barring her from delving any further into his memories. Kade watched Simon's eyes flicker and his body go rigid, quick to divert his attention elsewhere; which only fueled her suspicion.

"I'm gonna see about contacting Thor, see if he knows anything about this Thanos guy. The rest of you, get a hold of your contacts if you have any, rally anyone whose willing to fight…training starts now" Steve remarked, striding for the door.

With that, the team slowly made their way to follow, Simon of course being more than willing. Kade stayed behind, watching him intently as he exited the room, nearly boring a hole in the wall before Bucky appeared out of the corner of her eye.

"Something's bothering you, I can tell" he stated calmly.

"A mix of things to be honest, starting with the fact he bared me from his memories" Kade replied.

"You blame him? If this war is as bad as he says, maybe _he's_ trying to forget them"

"It's not the war he's hiding, he's blocking specific memories…something he doesn't want me to see"

"I don't know" Bucky sighed.

"And didn't he say that Thanos arrives in four years?" She asked, turning a questioning glance to Bucky.

"Yea…what does that have to do with anything?"

"Last night, Jamie said they came back _five_ years earlier than intended…how did they intend to stop a war by showing up a year _after_ it already started?"

"Have you tried asking him?" Bucky advised.

Kade gave him a scrutinizing look, gesturing her distaste for his advice. Bucky smirked to defuse the rising tension he was inadvertently causing, crossing his arms across his chest.

"You're the one that said we can trust Simon…are you doubting your own judgment now?" he asked.

She was silent for a moment, processing her thoughts and drawing in a deep breath.

"I'm starting to wonder if Simon is the one I'm not entirely trusting" she sighed.

Bucky looked over at her, and even without making eye contact she could feel the questioning gaze in his eyes.

"Jamie?" he remarked questionably.

"You saw how he was…" she remarked, turning to face him; resting her hands on her hips.

"…he's defensive, he's hostile, and secretive…like he's holding something back"

"War changes a man, I speak from experience"

"You were tortured and brain washed for years" she argued.

"And he likely had to watch his parents die"

Her argument stilled in her throat when the realization of what he said hit her. Though they didn't specifically say so, all three of them gave the notion that both she and Bucky met their fate early on in the battle, and judging by what Simon told the team, her fate was met at the hands of Thanos.

"Those kinds of scars don't heal very well…you never really come back from it the same" he stated, casting his eyes downward as if recalling his own memories of hell.

"You did alright" she mused softly.

Bucky laughed gently, allowing a heartfelt smile to grace his features as he raised his eyes to meet hers once more.

"He'll be alright…just give it some time" Bucky remarked, pulling her into his chest and wrapping his arms around her.

Kade breathed in deep, coiling her arms around his midsection and relishing in the feel of his body against hers. Even with her abilities, she always felt safe in his arms, drawing in the scent of his leather jacket mixed with gun powder and body wash with the slightest hint of machine oil. She imprinted that scent a long time ago, when she was just a runaway HYDRA agent and he was a hell hound loose from his cage. Times surely have changed.

* * *

"Did you tell them?" JB asked in a hushed tone.

Simon glanced around him as he scurried toward JB, who was ducked inside one of the open hangars of the compound.

"I told them what was needed, and I omitted the details like you wanted me to" Simon stated, sounding somewhat out of breath.

"Good" JB remarked.

"This is not going to end well JB, your mother isn't stupid, she's already suspicious" Simon warned, keeping his voice down to prevent them from being heard.

"Let her get suspicious, I do not want them knowing what that son of a bitch does if I have the ability to keep it from happening"

"And how exactly do you plan on doing that?"

"I don't know!..." JB hissed under his breath, gritting his teeth to keep from raising tone.

"…we're just gonna have to improvise"

"We came back to take the stone from the child…what are you planning on doing, taking the stone from her instead? Play hide and seek with Thanos!?"

"You know as well as I do, if we take the stone from her she'll die in the process…"

JB went silent, his eyes darting around as he ran his tongue underneath his teeth, gathering his thoughts.

"…I'll figure something out, but in the meantime…keep quiet!" he warned, turning to storm off.

Simon stood there at the hangar door, watching JB as he retreated to find Connie, running his hands over his face in some feeble attempt to keep his thoughts together.


	9. Chapter Nine: History 101

_**Enjoy**_

 **Chapter Nine: History 101**

She came down from a higher advantage point, driving her fist down into the metal shield he used to cover himself from her attack. The metal rang out with a low hum that seemed to race up the length of her arm, her elbow quivering against the tiniest amount of ricocheted vibration. She let out a hiss of annoyance between her teeth, bringing her feet down on the surface of the shield and launching herself backward off of it.

Kade landed a few feet away, instantly readying herself as Steve charged. Punch for punch, kick for kick she matched him, bending backward to avoid a left swing armed with his shield, feeling the sheer force of his swing dance across her face. She reached up, grabbing hold of the outer rim of the shield as it passed, using his own strength to yank her body up and spin around; driving her foot across his face before she brought her legs back down.

Steve stumbled backward, slowly straightening his body out and staring over at Kade; who stared right back as she turned to face him again. Both donning nothing more than simple exercise clothes, their skin glistening with sweat against the fluorescents that lined the ceiling of the training room. He brought his right hand up to his left cheek, testing the large red welt that was already forming a swollen bruise, seeming impressed that she didn't break the skin; the strike along dazing him for a moment.

"That's the hardest you can hit? I thought we agreed not to hold back" Steve mocked, taking stance.

Kadence smirked, striding up toward him. Steve braced himself, bringing his shield between them in defense. She stopped before him, raising her hand and flattening her palm against his shield. Kade felt the shift in her eyes, the tingling that raced down her spine and across her nerves, and just as quickly her fingers turned the color of brushed steel; slowly enveloping her entire hand.

She pulled away as her hand continued to change, bringing it to contact with her right and allowing the same shift in that one as well. Putting several feet between them, she lowered her hands to her sides, clenching them into fists.

"You know…next time I'll just keep quiet" Steve grumbled.

Bucky watched from the overhead ramp as Kade charged Steve, high ringing of metal against metal echoing out each time her fist struck his shield. It brought a smile to his face, watching her fight with such ferocity and concentration given the circumstances they all had landed in. It had been nearly a week since Simon, JB and Constance arrived at their doorstep, and since then Kadence had been increasingly distracted; seeming only to remove said distraction when she was sparring.

JB had shown only mild improvement to his attitude, still becoming defensive if questions became too probing, Simon would swear up and down they've said everything that was needed to know, and Constance would disappear into a wisp of black smoke the minute she felt cornered. After numerous failed attempts, both he and Kade decided to just let things be and focus on the task at hand, which at the current point in time was training.

"Why is she only using physical attacks?" JB asked.

Bucky cocked his head to watch the youth approach, a soured look on his face as he joined his father in the spectacle.

"She adjusts to the situation, it's how she fights" Bucky replied, turning back to watch the two below.

"She needs to be using her power…honing it" JB urged, sounding disappointed.

"She does use her power"

"Changing the density and material of her own flesh doesn't count, she's barely even using the stone to its full potential"

"And you would know, being the expert on the infinity stone" Bucky mused, allowing a mocking smirk to play at his lips.

"I know what the stone is capable of, I've seen it first-hand…or did you forget that part?"

Bucky sighed heavily, realizing that insulting his son's experience probably wasn't the best way to bond. Having to remind himself that this version was much older and had practically been through hell and back was dancing on a level of difficulty he didn't like dealing with.

"I know that, but there's still a lot you seem to leave out. For instance, how does Thanos get the stone from Kade? How is he able to remove it?"

JB stiffened, and Bucky saw the look in the youth's face twist as if he had a bitter taste in his mouth.

"He kills her…you'll forgive me if I don't want to relive the details of how my mother dies" JB replied, albeit stiffly.

It was Bucky's turn to swallow down bitterness, his mind still not wanting to fathom the idea of her death; nor how she met it.

"I'm sorry" the soldier muttered, casting his eyes to the floor.

Jamie leaned onto the railing, rubbing his hands over his face in some attempt to remove the stress before he cross his arms over one another, exhaling slowly.

"I should be the one apologizing…I don't mean to get short with everyone but it's hard not to when there's gonna be an alien invasion at our door step in five years that's gonna annihilate the human race. I just don't want this to be a wasted effort, coming all the way back and not being able to use what we have to change the future" JB explained.

"Giving us a head start didn't hurt I'm sure" Bucky remarked.

Silence fell between them for a brief moment, causing Bucky to look questionably at the youth beside him; the latter wide eyed as if an idea just dawned on him.

"Use the past…to change the future…that's it!" JB exclaimed, his face alight as he turned to face his father.

"What's it?" Bucky asked, mildly concerned; Kade got that same look from time to time and it never ended well.

"I think I know a way!" JB beamed, bolting off from their post.

"JB, what- shit" Bucky grumbled.

He turned toward the two fighting below and let out a shrill whistle to get their attention.

* * *

Steve, Sam and Natasha stood on one side of the projection table, while Kade and Bucky stood opposite of them, all gazing up at a holographic map of Europe.

"Alright, in order for you to understand my plan, we need a little history 101. Now I know at least two of you have a first hand count of this but just bear with me…" JB stated, slowly approaching the head of the table.

Natasha smirked and tossed an amused grin at Steve, who merely shrugged it off and ignored her as Jamie began to enter commands into the input keyboard.

"…In the 1940's, the Nazi science division known as HYDRA, discovered an ancient artifact that had limitless power and destructive capability. They used this artifact to practically cripple any and all opposition, allowing German occupation to cover almost ninety percent of Europe, and Nazi Germany taking at least fifty percent of that…"

As JB spoke, sections of the map faded red to signify German control; while a large center portion was highlighted with HYDRA's telltale symbol.

"…They achieved this by syphoning off the artifact's power into conduits, then placed these conduits into communication devices, weapons, vehicles, anything they could manufacture…giving them a turn of the century advantage that nobody could stop…"

Images of HYDRA's tanks and specialized guns replaced the map, and Steve gave a small nod of recognition toward the tank; recalling his team blowing a few of those machines up back in the day.

"…that was until the U.S sent in S.H.I.E.L.D and a special task force to turn the tide"

"Technically, S.H.I.E.L.D wasn't formed until _after_ the war" Natasha chimed.

"Either way…they trumped HYDRA's wild card and put Nazi Germany in its place" JB grumbled.

"Are we getting to a point to all this?" Sam asked, sounding impatient.

JB went back to typing, and the holograph shifted to that of a small, blue ball that seemed to be radiating with energy.

"My point is that these conduits were loaded with energy from the infinity stone, and because of that, they give off the exact same radioactive signatures as the original. My plan? Retrieve one of these conduits, find a way to do the same with Vision's stone, and when Thanos arrives, we give him the fakes" JB explained.

"Only one problem Jamie, won't-"

"It's JB now" JB interrupted, cutting Kade off.

Kade smirked, arching an eyebrow at him as she folded her arms across her chest.

"I spent fourteen hours in labor, changed your diapers and taught you how to use a spoon…I can call you what I want" she remarked.

JB scoffed, a slight blush racing across his cheeks as his eyes fell on Bucky; somehow pleading for backup. Sam stifled a soft burst of laughter, snickering as quietly as possible while Steve elbowed him in the ribs.

"Don't look at me, I've learned a long time ago not to argue with your mother" Bucky stated, tucking his hands into his pockets.

"Thanks dad…real supportive" JB grumbled under his breath.

"As I was saying…if Thanos is this all powerful being like you claim he is, won't he realize they're fakes?" Kade asked, urging to get back on topic.

"He'll likely be across the universe by then, it still buys us more time" JB explained.

"What so…five years isn't enough time?" she asked.

"Not to assemble the army you'll need to fight him, especially in your condition"

Kade narrowed her eyes at JB questionably, and it didn't take super human senses to catch the sudden tenseness in the room. The Captain cleared his throat with some attempt to break the death glare Kade was giving her son.

"So hypothetically speaking, we go with this plan of yours…where do we find these conduits?" Steve asked.

Jamie turned his attention from Kade, and mimicked a cringe.

"Well, that's where it gets a bit tricky. With Germany defeated and the stone somewhere at the bottom of the north Atlantic, HYDRA took to destroying all evidence of their super weapons…including the conduits. Only a few that were confiscated by S.H.I.E.L.D managed to survive, and after Stark's data collection, they knew that if these conduits fell into the wrong hands it could start another world war, so they did what S.H.I.E.L.D does best…they locked them away in a vault somewhere" JB stated.

"So where's the vault?" Natasha asked.

"Nobody knows. The coordinates were destroyed a long time ago and everyone who knew the location, died before passing off the information" JB answered.

"So how are we supposed to get them?" Sam asked.

"We get it at the source…"

JB typed another set of commands, bringing up a map that focused in on an area in eastern Germany.

"…HYDRA had several processing plants located all over Europe, one of them is documented in Dresden, Germany. It was a smaller plant, so less personnel and less military influence. Get in, grab a conduit, get out…no problem" JB explained.

"Just one…Constance went back twenty years and almost died. You're looking to go back a little over a hundred years, she'll never make it" Bucky stated.

"That's because she's not the one going…" Kade remarked, gaining all eyes in an instant.

"…I am"

The room was dead silent for a mere minute before Bucky's dumbfounded look melted into defiance.

"No" he stated flatly.

"What was this about learning not to argue with me?" she mused with a smirk.

"This isn't funny Kade, and it's not even up for debate, you don't even know how to time jump!" he quipped.

"It's not that hard" JB stated.

"Says the kid with no X-gene" Bucky grumbled, turning a warning glare toward JB.

"I'm not a kid…besides, it was me and uncle Simon who taught Connie how to use her power in the first place so I think I'm qualified enough to teach my own mother" JB argued.

"If Simon knows all about time jumping, then why don't we ask him his opinion on this whole plan of yours?" Bucky asked, his low tone suggesting hostility.

"Because he and Connie are in upstate New York with no idea of when they're coming back, and to be honest, we don't exactly have time to negotiate statistics" JB growled.

"I still don't like it" Bucky retorted, exhaling slowly; his nostrils flaring.

"Bucky, unless you have another idea up your sleeve, this is the only plan we have…if we're lucky, it works and this Thanos won't come back at all" Kade stated.

"We don't have that kind of luck" he remarked, turning a concerned gaze toward her.

"We have to try" she urged.

The room fell silent, and given Bucky's expression, he looked ready to drill a hole in the floor with his bare hands if it meant relieving the stress that was suddenly bearing down on him. The soldier sighed heavily and looked up at his friend from across the table.

"Steve…your call" he remarked quietly.

Even Steve was silent for a moment, clearly weighing the options in his head as quickly as possible.

"Wheels up in thirty…we're going to Germany" he remarked.

* * *

"How far out are we?" Kade asked, resting her arm against the pilot's chair.

"Another ten minutes at most" Steve replied calmly, glancing at her from the corner of his eye.

She gave him a soft hum of acknowledgement, looking out at the frigid landscape on the other side of the front glass. Memories teased at her, reminding her of the last time she had been out in this part of the world hunting HYDRA. Between the snowy mountains in the distance and the ice pelted forest below, it seemed not much had changed.

"You're sure this is the right place?" JB asked, coming up on the other side of the chair; his tone seeming worried.

"I spent a fair bit of time out here destroying these bases, I'm sure" Steve remarked.

"I hope so…time is of the essence in this case, if she goes back to the wrong one it-"

"Take it easy kid, we won't miss…trust me" Steve assured, silencing JB.

Kade smirked and turned back toward the cabin, walking cautiously toward Bucky; who was otherwise occupied with a communication tablet.

"What's the status on Connie and Simon?" he asked.

"Sam and Wanda are in route with them now" Natasha replied from over the link.

"Sam went with her? So who's got Jamie and Constance?" he asked, concerned.

"Scott is handling that, he checked in shortly before you called"

"You sent Scott!?" he exclaimed.

"Hey, with me running coms here, he's all we could spare at the last minute…beggars can't be choosers Bucky" She quipped.

He sighed heavily, admitting momentary defeat. It was at that moment that he glanced up at Kade, and she saw a mix of frustration and hurt in his eyes before he turned his attention back down to the tablet.

"I know" he replied quietly.

Kade exhaled slowly as she walked over to the seat next to him; taking her place as quiet as she could.

"Stop worrying and keep your head in the game Barnes…we have this under control" Natasha remarked sternly.

"Over and out" he grumbled, cutting off the link.

Without saying a word he returned the tablet to the storage compartment underneath the seat and rested his elbows on his knees, propping his right forearm up to cradle his chin in his hand.

"So you're still mad at me huh?" Kade hinted, leaning back in the seat and crossing her arms over her chest.

"I'm not mad at you. I just wish you'd think things through a little more before making a decision like this" he replied.

"We don't exactly have time to bring everything to debate"

"Five years isn't enough time!?"

"Not if we sit on our thumbs for the duration of it" she argued.

Bucky growled softly in irritation, pushing his elbows off his knees and leaning back in the seat; lacing his fingers together in his lap.

"It's risky Kade, we don't even know if it's gonna work" he remarked.

"It might, it might not…we're just gonna have to find out" she chimed, trying to sound optimistic.

"And that doesn't scare you?" he asked, turning to look at her.

"It terrifies me…" Kade admitted, returning his gaze.

"…more so since I realize that we lost the war because I was too scared to use my power…scared of becoming the destroyer…when the destroyer is exactly what we needed" she finished.

"And that's what worries me" he remarked in a hushed tone.

Kade scoffed at him, feigning insult in some attempt to lighten the mood.

"You don't trust me anymore?" she asked, elbowing him softly in the arm.

"Kadence, I trust you with my life, always have, always will" he remarked, remaining stoic as ever; refusing to make light of their conversation.

"Then have a little faith" she insisted.

"Buckle up guys, I'm putting her down" Steve instructed, deploying the landing gear.

* * *

Within the snow laden forest clearing was the remnants of an old structure, clearly abandoned for a number of years as only a small portion of the rear wall remained erect. Twisted steel beams long since rusted over and planks of rotted wood blanketed with snow and ice, gave some indication this building had met a rather violent end.

"I thought you needed an electrical charge to do this" Steve remarked, continuing to inspect their surroundings.

"Only if the teleporter is incapable of creating enough kinetic energy on their own to break into the time vortex" JB replied casually, kicking the snow from a chunk of a support beam.

Steve sighed, turning his attention to JB with a mildly annoyed look on his face. JB, feeling the silent urge of an explanation, let out short huff through his nose.

"All X-gene humans have a specific amount of energy they use for their abilities, teleporters can shift this to kinetic energy and use it to tear open the space vortex, a realm that allows them to move from place to place in the mere blink of an eye...but the time vortex is harder to open.

It requires a significant amount of energy that most are incapable of producing. So when you use an electrical charge in conjunction with the kinetic energy, the teleporter doesn't have to use as much of their own power to get the door open and pass through it"

Silence echoed around them for a moment and Steve turned his eyes toward the deteriorating wall behind them.

"I'm sorry I asked" he mumbled.

"So Kade doesn't need the charge because of the stone, is that it?" Bucky asked.

"Limitless power has its perks" JB answered, flashing a confident smirk.

"So what, I just…teleport with all the energy I have?" Kade asked, pulling the zipper of her tactical jacket up to her neck.

"In a sense…yea. Being as we're already at the destination point, you can focus purely on just jumping rather than aiming" JB remarked, glancing around the clearing.

"That's providing Captain GPS over there is right about this place" Kade jabbed teasingly.

"Don't you worry about that. It's been a while yea, but I still recognize it" Steve stated.

"How?" Kade asked, raising an eyebrow questionably.

"Because the Commandos were responsible for blowing it up" he replied, flashing a humored grin.

"Oh that's real comforting. So there's a chance I might run into you two from the past?" she asked, glancing between Steve and Bucky.

"Unlikely, but if you do…try not to disrupt too much" Steve advised.

"It won't matter if she does, she'll be going to a different time plain entirely…whatever she does in that past won't effect this future" JB remarked.

Kade turned back to Bucky with a mischievous grin.

"Oh I could have so much fun with that" she purred.

"Keep your head in the game please" Bucky warned.

"Let's get this done" Steve remarked, walking over to where JB was standing; as if that was the predestined safe zone.

She turned toward the empty mass that was once the supposed HYDRA factory, taking a steadying breath to focus her energy when suddenly she was yanked back around, colliding chest to chest with Bucky. Before she had the ability to protest his lips were on hers and the heat of his mouth forced a satisfied whimper from her throat.

Even through the jacket she felt his arms snake around her waist and her heart fluttered with excitement, causing a reasonable flush of warmth through her veins. She was hesitant to pull away when he slowly became absent, breathing deep the scent of his skin; as if imprinting this moment into her mind.

"You get that conduit and get your ass back here" he instructed with a low tone.

A smile found its way across her lips, and she couldn't pass up another opportunity to be coy.

"Yes sir" she retorted.

"Technically that's Sergeant" he corrected with a grin.

"Don't get cocky" she warned.

"Let's go Buck!" Steve called.

He exhaled sharply, seeming reluctant as he separated himself from her and joined Steve. Kade took another deep breath, clearing her mind to keep his visage from distracting her as she turned back toward the open space. Another draw of breath, much slower than the first and she felt that tingle of energy in her nerves.

"On my mark" Steve instructed.

Ignoring him, she took into a bolting run, forcing every ounce of strength down her legs and into her feet as they pushed against the ground. Her vision sharpened abruptly, and she felt a jolt of raw energy snap around her head like a taut rubber band coming loose. It swirled around her, that blinding blue light as she leapt into the air.

A brief rush of nausea surfaced on her stomach, and it almost felt as if her entire body was being twisted apart. Her insides were like ice and her skin was burning. She couldn't see a damn thing and her ears were ringing so loud she thought she was going to go deaf. A loud bang echoed out and suddenly the pressure that surrounded her was gone, sending her clumsily to the ground.

Any attempt to correct her footing was a lost cause as she tumbled across what felt like a concrete floor, finally coming to a stop with her face down; mere inches from the floor. The cool air radiating against her heated skin was almost relieving had it not been for the sheer ache of exhaustion biting at every inch of her body.

Kade let out a low groan and forced herself up on her fours, hissing with pain as cramped up muscles stretched and pulled.

"I'm getting too old for this shit" she growled under her breath.

Finally managing to get her feet back under her, she brought her attention to her new surroundings. The lights mounted above her were un-naturally bright, reflecting off of every surface in the vicinity. The structure looked almost brand new, and the low hum of machinery suggested it was in current operation.

"Holy shit I think it worked" she breathed.

The sudden sound of approaching footfalls brought her the realization that this factory was now more occupied than it was a few minutes ago. Kade turned to face the welcoming committee only to be faced with several HYDRA enforcers, each bearing a weapon that looked far too advanced for this particular time period. She raised her hands to gesture her evident lack of arms, taking a ginger step back as they took aim.

"Yea…it worked" she remarked under her breath.

One of them shouted a clear warning in German, thrusting his weapon closer to her as if to drive his point home. Kade flinched against the hostile tone in his voice, still trying to recover from the jump. It was then that she noticed the bright blue glow emitting from one of the machines in the far end of the building, and the conveyer belt leading from it that was decorated with several small orbs; glowing as bright as the original source.

Sensing her momentary distraction, the supposed leader jammed the front of his gun into her shoulder, forcing her back another step as he continued to spew his native tongue. Kade snapped her attention back to him, allowing a humored laugh to creep past her lips; which she was sure did nothing to calm him or the others.

"Easy fellas…let's just take it easy" she advised.

It was their sudden rigid posture that gave warning she probably should have spoken in German rather than English, given their current status of feuding. The leader raised his weapon, indicating he was ready to fire at any minute while his shouts echoed out much louder than before. He was flustered now, given she could barely understand what he was saying anymore.

"I get it, I'm not supposed to be here…so how about I just take one of those conduits and get out of your hair, huh? Sound like a plan?" she asked.

Several of the weapons whirred to life as a bright blue light emitted from within the metal casing. A dissatisfied twist of her lips was followed by a soft sigh through her nose; she wasn't much of a negotiator. Kade clenched her fists and by forces unseen, they became engulfed in harsh yellow flames; clearly taking the enforcers by surprise…since every one of them looked on in horror.

"Didn't think so" she growled.

* * *

With a distinctly loud hiss, Kade's lunging form disappeared, leaving behind nothing but a fading puff of blue smoke that drifted into the wind.

"I'm assuming that means it worked" Steve remarked, hooking his fingers into his belt.

"How long do you think it will take?" Bucky asked, staring intently as the last wisp of smoke dwindled into nothing.

"Doesn't matter now" JB mumbled under his breath.

Bucky stiffened and glanced over to Steve, who bore the exact same expression of both confusion and fear. They had no chance to question JB's remark before a soft hiss echoed out a few feet away as Connie came stumbling out from her own cloud of black smoke, stopping short and resting her hands on her knees; wheezing and panting as if she had just finished a marathon run.

"Where…is she?" she asked between ragged breaths.

"You just missed her" Steve remarked.

Connie stiffened, and the color slowly drained from her face as she slowly straightened her back.

"Constance, what's wrong?" Bucky asked.

She looked ready to answer until her eyes fell on JB, and the color returned to her face, along with an angry furrow to her brows.

"Tell me you didn't" she growled, starting in his direction with haste to her stride.

JB was silent as she advanced, whilst both Bucky and Steve struggled to process what was unfolding in front of them.

"Tell me you didn't do it!" she spat.

"I had no other choice" JB growled.

"You bastard!" Connie barked in a rage, slamming her fisted hands into his shoulders with enough force to push him back.

Steve and Bucky snapped to attention, quick to intervene in order to stop the hash out before it got out of hand.

"You had no right!" she howled, continuing her assault before Bucky grabbed hold of her arm, yanking her away from JB and practically dragging her a presumably safe distance; Steve taking place between them as if to play referee.

"Had no right to do what? What the hell is going on?" Steve asked sternly, glancing back and forth between Connie and JB.

Silence fell between them save for the sound of Connie's mildly ragged breathing, coming out in short, aggravated huffs; disheveled hair blowing out with the tempo of her breaths. Her narrowed eyes focused on JB, and Bucky saw the corner of her lip curl in a snarl; clearly her mother's daughter.

"Go on…tell them" she seethed, not taking her eyes off her brother.

"I did what was necessary" JB finally remarked, his tone hushed.

"That's your excuse!? You asshole, you took their mother from them and you call it necessary!?" Connie hissed, briefly fighting Bucky's hold before she disappeared in a wisp of black smoke.

In an instant she appeared in front of JB, drawing her hand across his face as hard as she could. His head snapped to the side as the shrill sound of skin against skin echoed for a fraction of a second in the snow laden forest around them. Bucky stilled at her claim, realizing they had been conned by his own blood.

"They didn't even get to say goodbye!" she spat, fighting against Steve as he tried to restrain her.

"Compared to what we had to endure, this is a blessing! Or would you rather them remember her the way we did!?" JB retorted, hostility in his voice as he turned an angry set of eyes upon Connie.

"That still didn't give you the right!" she argued.

"I have every right to make sure that son of bitch never gets near her!"

"Alright, enough!" Bucky barked.

His booming voice echoed out, silencing the squabble in an instant as both children stiffened against his command. Aggravation was clearly seen in the brief stride he took to put himself between Connie and JB, and his eyes were practically glowing with patience that had long since left his body.

"I don't care who had reason for what, how do we get your mother back?" he asked with a deep husky threat in his voice.

"We don't" Connie replied quietly.

Steve looked concerned, finally releasing Connie and keeping an eye on Bucky as the soldier's body went rigid.

"What do you mean we don't?" Steve asked.

She drew in a ragged breath, exhaling slow enough for them to hear the fault in her breathing; she was trying not to cry.

"Time travel is a one way trip…once you leave your plane to enter another, you can't go back…not even the most powerful of teleporters have been able to. Breaking the fabric of time has its consequences…"

Connie turned her sullen eyes toward JB, her lip twitching in anger as tears began to fall.

"…and he knew…he knew the rules and he still…I hate you so much"

JB stood defiant while she stumbled back a step, sobbing and covering her face with her hands as she went to her knees. Bucky suddenly took to an advance, fists clenched with rage in his eyes before Steve grabbed his arm and thrust himself between them.

"Bucky hold it! Fighting about it out here isn't going to fix anything. We need to get back to the compound and re-evaluate the situation. We'll get her back Buck…if we don't figure out a way, she will" Steve assured.

The Captain wasn't sure if the words were really sinking in, as Bucky's eyes stayed trained on JB. It wasn't until he felt the slow relaxation in the soldier's metal arm that he felt it safe enough to let go of his friend and tend to the weeping girl in the snow; careful as he helped her up and led her back toward the jet.

Bucky glared daggers at JB, who returned the gaze in part confidence that he made the right choice.

"You wanna hit me now…don't you?" JB asked.

The soldier contemplated it for a moment, his fists clenching at the offer. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm the ever rigid nerves, taking into consideration that this was no enemy or stranger…this was his son, and while the action was in itself damnable, there had to be reason behind it.

"Wouldn't it hurt more if I didn't" Bucky remarked, turning to follow Steve and Constance.


End file.
